Picture of chis Gayl

History of Chris Gayle

Christopher Henry Gayle, OD (born 21 September 1979) is a Jamaican cricketer and a former
captain, who plays international cricket for the West Indies.[2] Gayle captained the West
Indies' Test side from 2007 to 2010. Considered one of the greatest batsmen in limited-overs cricket,
Gayle has set and tumbled numerous records across all three formats of cricket. He is widely
acknowledged as the most destructive and greatest Twenty20batsman in the history of the game.
He is well known for hitting sixes very often along with Shahid Afridi; in 2012 he became the first
player to hit a six off the first ball of a Test match.[3]
He is one of only four players who have scored two triple centuries at Test level: 317 against South
Africa in 2005, and 333 against Sri Lanka in 2010. Gayle became the first batsman in World Cup
history to score a double century when he reached 200 off 138 balls against Zimbabwe during
the 2015 World Cup. He finished on 215 runs, which was the record for highest score in a World Cup
until it was broken by Martin Guptill against Gayle's own team.[4]He is one of the five players to score
a double century in ODIs. In March 2016, Gayle became only the second player (after Brendon
McCullum) to hit two Twenty20 International hundreds, scoring 100 not out against England.
He plays domestic cricket for Jamaica, and also represents the Royal Challengers Bangalore in
the Indian Premier League, the Karachi Kings[5][6] in the Pakistan Super League, the Melbourne
Renegades in the Big Bash Leagueand the Dhaka Gladiators in the Bangladesh Premier League.
He has also represented Worcestershire, the Western Warriors, Sydney Thunder, Barisal
Burners, Kolkata Knight Riders and Somerset in his career. He was also selected for team Uva
Next for the inaugural Sri Lanka Premier League in 2012.[7] In 2017–18 Bangladesh Premier
League season, Gayle performed for Rangpur Riders and he came out as the player of the series as
well as the highest run scorer by achieving some new world records.
 Early career[edit]
Gayle started his cricket career with the famous Lucas Cricket Club in Kingston, Jamaica.[8] Gayle
claimed "If it was not for Lucas I don't know where I would be today. Maybe on the streets."[8] Lucas
Cricket Club's nursery has been named in honor of Gayle.[8]

International debut[edit]
Gayle played for the West Indies at youth international level prior to making his first-class debut
aged 19 for Jamaica. He played his first One Day International eleven months later, and his first Test
match six months after that. Gayle, who normally opens the innings when he plays for the West
Indies, is a destructive batsman who is most effective playing square of the wicket. In July 2001,
Gayle (175), together with Daren Ganga (89) established the record for opening partnerships
at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo when they put on 214 together against Zimbabwe.

International rise[edit]
See also: List of centuries in Twenty20 International cricket

Gayle in 2010.
An innings-by-innings breakdown of Gayle's Test match batting career, showing runs scored (red bars) and the
average of the last ten innings (blue line).

Gayle had a slow start to his international career, but invigorated it in 2002, ending the year with
three centuries against India in November and becoming the third West Indian to score over 1,000
runs in a calendar year, along with Vivian Richards and Brian Lara. He is one of only six players
in One Day International history to have three or more scores of 150. In 2005, Gayle was dropped
for the first Test against South Africa along with six other players following a dispute over
sponsorship issues (see below). He returned for the second Test but had a poor series until the
fourth Test, where he made a match-saving 317. It was the first-ever triple century against South
Africa and up until Mahela Jayawardene made 374, it was the highest individual Test score against
them. In another match of the series, Gayle had to leave the field after complaining of dizziness.
During a subsequent series against Australia, Gayle again complained of dizziness and shortness of
breath during his innings. He left the field for a time, and was after the match sent to hospital where
he was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect causing a cardiac dysrhythmia. He underwent heart
surgery following the series to correct the defect.[9][10] Gayle was only the fourth West Indian to carry
his bat in a Test innings.[11]
In August 2005, Gayle joined Worcestershire for the rest of the English season, playing eight
matches. He made two half-centuries in three first-class matches and two half-centuries in five one-
day matches, and won one Man of the Match award in the one-day National League. However,
Worcestershire were relegated after Gayle made 1 in the final match against Lancashire.
Gayle was named Player of the 2006 Champions Trophy, where the West Indies nearly defended
the title they won in 2004, being defeated in the final by Australia. Gayle scored three centuries and
totalled 474 runs, 150 more than any other batsman, and also took eight wickets in as many
matches. Gayle, in keeping with the rest of the West Indies team, had a poor World Cup in 2007. He
recorded a series of low scores; the one exception being a blistering 79 off 58 balls
against England in the West Indies' final match.
Gayle set the first record for the highest innings in a Twenty20 International, scoring 117 against
South Africa in the first match of the 2007 World Twenty20.[12][13] The innings was the first century in
international Twenty20 cricket and made him the first batsman to score a century in each of
international cricket's three formats.[14] The record stood unmatched until 19 February 2012, when
South Africa's Richard Levi scored 117n.o. against New Zealand; Cricinfo recognised Levi as having
broken the record outright, because a not out innings is ranked above a dismissal.[15]
In the semi-final match of the 2009 World Twenty20 against Sri Lanka, he became the first
international player to carry his batthrough the entire innings in this format of the game as well. In
April 2008, Gayle was auctioned by the franchise Kolkata Knight Riders of the Indian Premier
League, but missed the opening games due to a Sri Lanka tour to the Caribbean. When he finally
joined the team, he missed out on the action due to a groin injury he picked up during that tour.
Afterwards, he left to join the West Indies team for a home series against Australia, therefore not
playing in the inaugural version of the IPL.
He played in the second IPL competition in early 2009, arriving for an away Test series against
England very late, earning criticism about his commitment.[16] His Test series went poorly, and the
West Indies went on to lose both the Test and ODI series. Gayle, however, went to on score a match
winning 88 in the first official match of the 2009 Twenty20, in a surprise victory over Australia.[17]
On 17 December 2009 in the Australia v West Indies 3rd Test Chris Gayle scored the fifth-fastest
century in Test match history. He reached the century in just 70 balls. However he was shortly after
dismissed for 102 runs. This feat included a flurry of runs thanks to some big hitting sixes. On 16
November 2010, he became the fourth cricketer to score two triple centuries in Test cricket
after Donald Bradman, Brian Laraand Virender Sehwag.[18]
On his return to Test cricket in July 2012, he scored 150 on the third day of the first Test against
New Zealand.[19]
Gayle scored 75 runs from 41 balls, fuelling West Indies' total of 205, against Australia in the 2012
ICC World Twenty20 semifinal, which was the highest total of the tournament.[20][21]
In November 2012, during the First Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka, Gayle became the first player
to hit a six off the first ball in the history of Test cricket.[22][23] In February 2015, he became the fourth
cricketer to score a double century in ODIs when he made 215 against Zimbabwe.[24][25]
In this match against Zimbabwe in World Cup in Canberra, Gayle became the first player to hit a
double century in World Cup history. His partnership with Marlon Samuels was the most productive
wicket in Cricket World Cup history, producing 372 runs before Gayle was caught for an out on the
final ball of the innings.[4]Coincidentally, he was almost adjudged out on the very first ball he faced as
an LBW appeal was raised by Zimbabwe bowler, Tinashe Panyangara, however, the umpire turned
down the appeal. Despite a review which showed that the ball would have clipped the top of the
bails, the original decision was upheld.[4] Gayle thus became the only player in world cricket to hit a
triple hundred in Tests, a double hundred in ODIs and a hundred in Twenty20 Internationals.

Gayle with the Sydney Thunder in 2011

In 2011, after being left out of the initial part of the West Indies T20 and one-day home series
against Pakistan, Gayle opted to join the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the fourth edition of the
Indian Premier League.[30] In his debut game against his previous team Kolkata Knight Riders in their
home ground, he scored 102 off 55 balls, hitting 10 fours and 7 sixes.[31] On 6 May 2011, he scored
another century, 107 off 49 balls in Bangalore against the Kings XI Punjab, which included 10 fours
and 9 sixes.[32] In the next match against Kochi Tuskers Kerala, he scored 37 runs in one over, which
included 3 sixes, 3 fours and a no ball that was hit for a six.[33] Although many people cite him as
having hit the over for 37, one run was awarded as an extra due to the no ball. He can therefore be
said to have hit 36 off an over that went for 37. Gayle won the Orange Cap Award for scoring the
most runs in the tournament amassing 608 runs in 12 matches.[34] He was instrumental in many
victories for the Royal Challengers Bangalore and received five Man of the Match awards and also
the Player of the Tournament award for his performances.[35] In the 2011 Champions League
Twenty20, Chris Gayle was the second highest run-scorer in the competition, behind David Warner,
with 257 runs from 6 matches at an average of 42.83 and a top score of 92, and was one of the star
players.[36]
Following his prolific performances Gayle was signed by Zimbabwean franchise Matabeleland
Tuskers, for the 2011-12 Stanbic Bank 20 Series.[37] As Gayle later recalled it was valuable practice
ahead of the KFC Twenty20 Big Bash, where he had signed for the Sydney Thunder.[38][39][40] Gayle
hoped his first appearance in the tournament was a success, and he gave the spectators something
to cheer about. Gayle was the second West Indian to be signed in the event, after the
legendary Brian Lara had signed for Southern Rocks the previous season.
Gayle enjoyed great success in that tournament. He was the leading run-scorer in that series with
293 runs, a top score of 109, and an average over 50, the best of the tournament.[41] Ironically, the
only century Gayle scored in the event ended in defeat as Mid West Rhinos's Brendan Taylor's
outstanding 75* outlasted his team.[42] The Tuskers could not win the tournament as they were
overpowered by Mashonaland Eagles's Ryan ten Doeschate's brilliant 121* off 58 and despite Gayle
scoring a half-century, it was not enough to see his home through.[43]
Gayle also joined the Barisal Burners in the Bangladesh Premier League, and has scored two
centuries at more than a run-a-ball.[44]
In the 2012 IPL season, Gayle hit the most sixes (59)[45] and was nominated for the orange cap for
making 733 in 14 matches.[46]
He was selected for team Uva Next for the inaugural Sri Lanka Premier League in 2012.[7]
Gayle started off his 2013 IPL season scoring 92 not out from 58 balls, hitting 11 fours and four sixes
against the Mumbai Indians. His innings helped his side to victory, and he was awarded the Man of
the match.[47] On 23 April 2013 during an IPL match against Pune Warriors India, Gayle broke
multiple scoring records. With an individual score of 175 not out off 66 balls and a century reached in
30 balls, Gayle set records for the fastest century reached in any format of cricket, the highest
individual score in a T20 match, and the most sixes scored in a single innings in the IPL.[48][49] He also
took two wickets in the match.
On January 18, 2016, in a match with the Adelaide Strikers, Gayle set a new Big Bash League
record for the fastest fifty and equaled the world record set by Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh against
England in the 2007 ICC World Twenty20. He reached 51 in just 12 deliveries which included seven
sixes and smashed the previous record of 18 deliveries set by Strikers batsman Tim Ludeman. He
was dismissed shortly after for 56 off 17 balls by Travis Head.[50]
Chris Gayle was signed by Lahore Qalandars in 2016 for 200,000 dollars to play in the Pakistan
Super League. Gayle had his worst T20 league, citing back problems. He only scored 103 runs from
five matches and was also out twice for a golden duck, the most in his T20 career, by Junaid
Khan.[51]
On 18 April 2017, Gayle reached the 10,000 runs milestone in T20 cricket after scoring 77 runs off
38 balls in a match against Gujarat Lions where Royal Challengers Bangalore won by 21 runs. He
was also awarded the man of the match which was his first in IPL 2017.[52][53]
On 16 September 2017, Gayle became the first ever player to hit 100 T20I sixes.
Picture of A Sport Journalist
 What is cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players each on a cricket field,
at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard-long (20 metres) pitch with a target at each end called
the wicket (a set of three wooden stumps upon which two bails sit). Each phase of play is called
an innings, during which one team bats, attempting to score as many runs as possible, whilst their
opponents bowl and field, attempting to minimise the number of runs scored. When each innings
ends, the teams usually swap roles for the next innings (i.e. the team that previously batted will
bowl/field, and vice versa). The teams each bat for one or two innings, depending on the type of
match. The winning team is the one that scores the most runs, including any extras gained (except
when the result is not a win/loss result).
Before a match begins, the two team captains meet on the pitch for the toss (of a coin), with the
winner deciding which team will bat first. Two players from the batting side, and all eleven players
from the bowling/fielding side, then enter the field, and play proceeds by a member of the fielding
team, known as the bowler, delivering (i.e., bowling) the ball from one end of the pitch towards the
wicket at the other end, which is guarded by one of the batsmen, known as the striker. The striker's
role is to strike the ball well enough to score runs, if possible, while not being dismissed. The other
batsman, known as the non-striker, waits at the opposite end of the pitch near the bowler. The
bowling team's objectives are to prevent the scoring of runs and to dismiss the batsman. A
dismissed batsman, who is declared to be "out", must leave the field to be replaced by a teammate.
The most common forms of dismissal are bowled, when the bowler hits the stumps directly with the
ball and dislodges the bail(s); leg before wicket (lbw), when the batsman prevents the ball from
hitting the stumps with his body instead of his bat; and caught, when the batsman hits the ball into
the air and it is intercepted by a fielder before touching the ground.
Runs are scored by two main methods: either by hitting the ball hard enough for it to cross
the boundary, or by the two batsmen swapping ends by each simultaneously running the length of
the pitch in opposite directions whilst the fielders are retrieving the ball.
Adjudication is performed on the field by two umpires, aided by a Third umpire and Match referee in
international matches. They communicate with two off-field scorers (one per team) who record all the
match's statistical information including runs, dismissals, overs, etc.
There are various formats ranging from Twenty20, played over a few hours with each team having a
single inningsof 20 overs (i.e. 120 deliveries), to Test matches played over five days with unlimited
overs and the teams playing two innings apiece. Traditionally cricketers play in all-white kit, but
in limited overs cricket they wear club or team colours. In addition to the basic kit, some players
wear protective gear to prevent injury caused by the ball, which is a hard, solid spheroid made of
compressed leather enclosing a cork core.
 History of cricket

The origins of cricket lie somewhere in the Dark Ages - probably after the Roman Empire,
almost certainly before the Normans invaded England, and almost certainly somewhere in
Northern Europe. All research concedes that the game derived from a very old, widespread and
uncomplicated pastime by which one player served up an object, be it a small piece of wood or a
ball, and another hit it with a suitably fashioned club.

How and when this club-ball game developed into one where the hitter defended a target against
the thrower is simply not known. Nor is there any evidence as to when points were awarded
dependent upon how far the hitter was able to despatch the missile; nor when helpers joined the
two-player contest, thus beginning the evolution into a team game; nor when the defining
concept of placing wickets at either end of the pitch was adopted.

Etymological scholarship has variously placed the game in the Celtic, Scandinavian, Anglo-
Saxon, Dutch and Norman-French traditions; sociological historians have variously attributed its
mediaeval development to high-born country landowners, emigré Flemish cloth-workers,
shepherds on the close-cropped downland of south-east England and the close-knit communities
of iron- and glass-workers deep in the Kentish Weald. Most of these theories have a solid
academic basis, but none is backed with enough evidence to establish a watertight case. The
research goes on.

What is agreed is that by Tudor times cricket had evolved far enough from club-ball to be
recognisable as the game played today; that it was well established in many parts of Kent, Sussex
and Surrey; that within a few years it had become a feature of leisure time at a significant
number of schools; and - a sure sign of the wide acceptance of any game - that it had become
popular enough among young men to earn the disapproval of local magistrates.
 Early cricket
The earliest definite reference to cricket is dated Monday, 17 January 1597 (i.e., an "Old Style"
Julian date which is 1598 by modern reckoning under the Gregorian calendar). It is a deposition
in the records of a legal case at Guildford, Surrey, re the use of a parcel of land c.1550 and John
Derrick, a coroner, testified that he had at that time played cricket on the land when he was a
boy. Derrick's testimony makes clear that the sport was being played c.1550, but its true origin is
a mystery. All that can be said with a fair degree of certainty is that its beginning was earlier than
1550, somewhere in south-east England within the counties of Kent, Sussex and Surrey. Unlike
other games with batsmen, bowlers and fielders, such as stoolball and rounders, cricket can only
be played on relatively short grass, especially as the ball was delivered along the ground until the
1760s. Therefore, forest clearings and land where sheep had grazed would have been suitable
places to play.

Although nothing is known of a "cricket season" per se in 1598, cricket was being played in the
south-east of England at the time and so 1598 was the first season, as such, since the sport's
earliest known reference. The sparse information available about the early years suggests that it
may have been a children's game in the 16th century but, by 1611, it had become an adult
pastime. The earliest known organised match was played c.1611, a year in which other
significant references to the sport are dated. From 1611 to 1725, less than thirty matches are
known to have been organised between recognised teams. Similarly, only a limited number of
players, teams and venues of the period have been recorded. The earliest matches played by
English parish teams are examples of village cricket. Although village matches are now
considered minor in status, the early matches are significant in cricket's history simply because
they are known. There were no newspaper reports of matches until the end of the seventeenth
century and so the primary sources are court records and private diaries, hence games were rarely
recorded.[fc 1]

During the reign of Charles I, the gentry took an increased interest as patrons and occasionally as
players. A big attraction for them was the opportunity that the game offered for gambling and
this escalated in the years following the Restoration when cricket in London and the south-
eastern counties of England evolved into a popular social activity. Its patrons staged lucrative
eleven-a-side matches featuring the earliest professional players. Meanwhile, English colonists
had introduced cricket to North America and the West Indies, and the sailors and traders of the
East India Company had taken it to the Indian subcontinent.
 In the first quarter of the 18th century, more information about cricket became available as the
growing newspaper industry took an interest. The sport noticeably began to spread throughout
England as the century went on. By 1725, significant patrons such as Edwin Stead, Charles
Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond and Sir William Gage were forming teams of county strength in
Kent and Sussex. The earliest known great players, including William Bedle and Thomas
Waymark, were active. Cricket was attracting large, vociferous crowds and the matches were
social occasions at which gambling and alcoholic drinks were additional attractions.

Frist definite reference

The sport of cricket has a known history beginning in the late 16th century. Having originated in
south-east England, it became the country's national sport in the 18th century and has developed
globally in the 19th and 20th centuries. International matches have been played since 1844 and Test
cricket began, retrospectively recognised, in 1877. Cricket is the world's second most popular
spectator sport after association football. Governance is by the International Cricket Council (ICC)
which has over one hundred countries and territories in membership although only twelve play Test
cricket
 Equipment Use to Used Cricket

Bat

Bats used in cricket are made of flat wood, and connected to a conical
handle. They are not allowed to be longer than 96.5 centimeters and
have to be less than 10.8 centimeters wide. While there is no standard
weight, most bats range between 1.2 kilograms to 1.4 kilograms.

Clothing

Cricket players are required to don a polo t-shirt in every match.

Depending on the weather, long sleeved polo t-shirts are also
sometimes worn, as well as woollen jumper or vest. Additionally, players
traditionally wear white long trousers.

Headwear such as baseball caps, sun hats as well as cricket caps are
also allowed. Additionally, players wear spiked shoes, in order to
improve traction on the playing area.

Protective Equipment

Like many other sports, cricket players are required to wear protective
gear in order to ensure their safety during the match. Batsmen and
wicket keepers usually wear an abdomen guard, also known as a cup,
box or abdo guard, in order to protect themselves against the impact of
the ball hitting the body. Leg pads are also worn by batsmen and wicket
keepers in order to protect the shins, and fielders tationed near the
batsmen might also choose to use leg pads.

Additionally, a helmet (sometimes with a visor attached) is worn by

batsmen and fielders in order to protect their heads from the incoming
ball. Wicket keepers also wear protective eyewear to protect their eyes,
as the impact of the ball hitting the wicket can be great, and bails might
get dislodged after impact.

Batsmen wear special gloves that are different from gloves worn by
wicket keepers. These are very thickly padded at the top of all five
fingers, compared to the thinner wicket keeper gloves. The wicket
keeper gloves sometimes also feature webbed fingers, in order to help
the wicket keepers catch the ball.