Gayle wants to bank another title
St John’s – Chris Gayle (left) said this week he is focused on the “bigger picture” of winning a third T20 world title with the West Indies later this year, ahead of the veteran batsman’s return to international cricket this week.
The 41-year-old was named in the Windies’ 14-man squad for the three-game T20 international series against Sri Lanka, which starts in Antigua today.
Gayle, who was part of the World Twenty20-winning sides in both 2012 and 2016, played the last of his 58 T20 internationals against England in March 2019.
The Windies will attempt to defend their title in India in October and November.
“I want to accomplish, starting off by winning the series, but the bigger picture is actually to get three T20 titles under my belt,” Gayle said.
“That’s actually the goal I’m setting in my head – winning the T20 World Cup. It’s still a long way off but by the time you quint (blink), it’s World Cup time.”
Gayle has made 1 627 T20I runs (high score 117), at an average of over 32.
His record 22 centuries in all T20 cricket is 14 more than anyone else – the Aussie trio David Warner, Aaron Finch and Michael Klinger all have eight. –
Hong Kong racing action returns to Happy Valley for a nine-race card today with the ‘Magic Man’ Joao Moreira side-lined for the next two meeting due to careless riding suspension, thus Zac Purton stands to gain with the support of John Size.
Though only a sending out a small team of five runners, Size’s winning chances are strong, with Wealthy Delight and Savaquin the standouts. Purton rides both.
Quality four-year-old Wealthy Delight will be looking to atone for a last start defeat and bounce back in the Class 3 1650m Handicap in Race 7.
Wealthy Delight has shown promising ability in his eight local starts to date, winning once and placing a further two times. His breakthrough success came two starts ago at this track and distance, when he was heavily punted into a 3.60 favourite from 6.10 and duly arrived.
Things didn’t quite go to plan last time out, however, as the jockey, Joao Moreira, made a mid-race move from the rear of the field at the 850m, taking the lead at the 500m but, understandably, fading late inside the 200m while managing to hold down for second.
All-in-all it was a solid run given the energy exerted because of the mid-race move, and with a better-judged ride this week, Wealthy Delight strikes a highly winnable race to get back to his winning ways in.
Elsewhere, rising four-year-old Savaquin is on song to land a hattrick of wins when he returns to Happy Valley in the second section Class 3 1650m to round out the card.
Savaquin searches for a thirdstraight win at this track and distance after stringing together two impressive victories which commenced in late January.