Hail Chris Gayle... it's his 100th

Barbados The anxiety around Jamaica in palpable It is not triggered so much by whether or not Chris Gayle will in that unflustered manner of his saunter onto Sabina Park in his native Kingston on Sunday for the first Test against New Zealand that marks the momentous occasion of his 100th Chris Gayle celebrates his 300 on Day Two of the first Test vs SL at Galle on November 16 2010 PicAFPHe put the worriers minds at rest on that score on Thursday by proclaiming I am fit available and will be playing on Sunday and I am looking forward to itHe went further dismissing talk that he was contemplating retirement from Test cricket after the series It was a telling contradiction of his much quoted comment prior to the 2009 tour of England that he wouldnt care if Test cricket died seduced by the appeal and his success in the Twenty20 game it was no more than a throwaway lineInjury worriesThe present lingering concern surrounds not his attitude to Tests but a complex back injury that as he describes it painfully affects a nerve in his leg It flared during what for him was a substandard Indian Premier League IPL season keeping him off the field for the past monthCould that prove a hindrance to the intimidating power of a 34yearold six feettwo man mountain who has pushed his body to the limit with nonstop cricket of every type in all the games varied outposts It would be just a week after the lefthanders return from Germany where he underwent specialist treatment for the complaintAs it was his renowned physician administered a few palliative injections and sent Gayle back to the West Indies preparatory camp in Barbados in time to meet the boards cutoff date of June 1 He advised him to take a few days rest before returning to training and gave him the allclear for the Test and beyondNow Jamaica West Indies and world cricket awaits the outcome His previous response to adversity psychological if not physical encourages optimismTriple ton against SLThe first time he batted after losing the captaincy to Darren Sammy in 2010 Gayle steeled himself for his 333 against Sri Lanka at Galle his second triplehundred placing him alongside Don Bradman Brian Lara and Virender Sehwag the only others to have scaled such heightsFor all the recent global recognition Jamaica has attracted through the brilliance of Usain Bolt and its remarkable host of track and field stars amidst the declining interest in cricket Gayle remains an equally special favourite of his island homes three million peopleHe is a national icon who has represented the country and the region well and we want him and the world to know that we appreciate his efforts Jamaica Cricket Association JCA president Billy Heaven said in announcing plans to mark the centenaryThe aim is to have presentations and activities before during and after the match that will signify to the world how proud we are to have a Chris Gayle he saidThis pride is not confined to Gayles cricket His defiance of what he regards as unfair autocratic authority has twice brought him into conflict with the West Indies Cricket Board WICB it is an established Jamaican characteristicNo more than a few weeks into his captaincy on the 2007 tour of England Gayle castigated the WICB for its failure to deliver the new selectees for warmup matches prior to the three ODIs against EnglandKen Gordon then president had opposed Gayles appointment preferring Daren Ganga instead now he demanded an apology which was resolutely refused Will I stand up to the board Gayle asked rhetorically Yes thats me I always stand up for what I believe in and when Im wrong Im wrong but when Im right Im rightHitting backGayles more recent contretemps followed his retort to coach Ottis Gibsons censure of senior playershellip for lacking hunger and desire after the quarterfinal exit from the 2011 World Cup and chief executive Ernest Hilaires scarcely veiled comment that no one man is bigger than the teamGayle hit back calling Gibson a user and charging him with undermining the players comment by his methods Again Gayle was told that unless he withdrew his comments he would not be selected again he refused It took political mediation to close the confrontationCricket has brought him fame and not a little wealth Forbes magazine recently placed his worth at US35 million He earned further respect from his countrymen for his Chris Gayle Academy that he himself launched in Kingston during the week at Lucas the club he shares with one of the greatest West Indies batsmen George HeadleyHis triple hundreds each took him more than ten and a half hours to accumulate There go with five other Test scores of 150 or over of West Indians only Brian Lara and Garry Sobers have as manyA captains knockAgainst Australia at Adelaide in 2009 when captain he carried his bat through the second innings for 165 off 285 balls as West Indies pressed for victory they couldnt quite pull off in the next Test a few days later in Perth he paraded his versatility with 102 off 72 balls with six sixesMy favourite remains his 197 when West Indies threatened to collapse against New Zealand at Napier in 2009 He spent 396 balls repairing the innings adding 124 with the reliable Brendan Nash yet it didnt prevent him hoisting seven huge sixes whenever the relevant ball came alongPrior to the injuries that have plagued him over the past year or so he had reasonable claim to being the most complete allround batsman in the modern game that now encompasses three different formats The coming six weeks are certain to answer the question as to how much longer can he continueAs of now 100 Tests is an outstanding milestone previously reached by only eight other West Indians4201Chris Gayles average in 99 Tests The hardhitter has scored 6933 runs