Chris Gayle vs Dave Cameron: Letting the willow silence an immature board official

Chris Gayle silenced many a critic with his willow during an encounter against Zimbabwe.

West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) President Dave Cameron had a foot-in-the mouth moment when he publically endorsed a post on micro-blogging website Twitter that asked for Chris Gayle to retire, ahead of West Indies’ clash against Zimbabwe. Amit Banerjee discusses why high-level administrators ought to be more mature and supportive, especially during an occasion as big as cricket World Cup.

Chris Gayle silenced many a critic with his willow during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 encounter against Zimbabwe on February 24. The date was a special one, as it was the first time that a double-century was scored in One-Day International (ODI) cricket, which was achieved by Sachin Tendulkar. Gayle decided to make the date even more historic, as he became the first batsman in World Cup cricket history to score a double-hundred, smashing 215 off 147 deliveries. READ: Chris Gayle registers highest-ever World Cup score

The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batsman smashed dozens of records, both individual as well as partnership records with Marlon Samuels. Not only did it help West Indies record an impressive win against the Zimbabweans and improve their position on the Pool B points table, it was a terrific way for Gayle to prove his detractors wrong, most importantly WICB President Dave Cameron. ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: POINTS TABLE

The top board member had apparently re-tweeted a post by a fan, who wrote on his Twitter account saying: “Gayle goes… Can’t buy a run. Let’s give him a retirement package… Can’t fail repeatedly and still front up based on reputation.”  Cameron went about with the share even as the match between West Indies and Pakistan was going on. ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: SCHEDULE & MATCH DETAILS

It is one thing for fans to abuse players and denounce them. It is an entirely different thing for a member of an administrative board to make similar public endorsements. West Indian cricket is one that is riddled with controversies and problems, especially in the board and its relations with its players. It is one that has seen one of the highest levels of corruption and infrastructural problems, that has been widely credited as the major factor in the decline of the West Indian pace factory. ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: Complete Coverage

In such situations, it is least expected of the board officials to behave in an appropriate manner, even if the decisions taken might not be the right one. The administrators, who, unless having played cricket at the highest level, seldom know the blood, sweat and tears that an athlete sheds to receive the wages that the board members are in control of, unfortunately act in the desired manner. An example of that would be the members of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) choosing to occupy the front seats while blocking the members of the India squad that won the inaugural edition of the ICC World Twenty20 in 2007 during the latter’s felicitation ceremony at the Wankhede Stadium in 2007. READ: Chris Gayle only man in history to score T20I century, ODI double ton and Test triple hundred

Cameron, a Jamaican businessman, may insist on his right to freedom of expression on his personal Twitter account. That, however, is something that is out of question as it would only go on to highlight the divide between WICB and the players. Cameron’s act was widely condemned by many former cricketers, including former West Indian international Dinanath Ramnarine, who blasted Cameron as well as the board in a series of tweets before going on to congratulate Gayle for his knock. The West Indies Players Association (WIPA), the representative of the players to the WICB, too did not back off from condemning the act. READ: Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels put on highest-ever ODI partnership

Gayle, however, has let the bat do the talking, the din of which must have been unbearably loud for Cameron. The burly Jamaican reminded the critics as to why he is still the most fearsome batsman out there in the open, and that he is ready to retire only when HE believes the time to be right. Till then, one would request the officials to start giving a little more respect to the cricketers — provided they want their sides to excel more often at the global stage, that is.

(Amit Banerjee, a reporter at CricketCountry, takes keen interest in photography, travelling, technology, automobiles, food and, of course, cricket. He can be followed on Twitter via his handle @akb287)

About the Author

•