THE NEW GAYLE
Windies T20 opener Evin rivals the ‘Universe Boss’
West Indies captain Carlos Brathwaite has cranked up the pressure on england before today’s twenty20 game in durham with a simple message: if you think Chris Gayle is scary, you should see the bloke at the other end.
the reputation of Gayle, who will be making his first international appearance in this country for four years, precedes him. But less is known about evin Lewis, a 25-year-old trinidadian who, according to Brathwaite, could reduce Gayle to ‘second fiddle’.
He is not kidding. In a recent Caribbean Premier League game, Lewis compiled a virtuoso 97 not out from 32 balls, including 11 sixes, while Gayle scored an unbeaten 22 at the other end. Remarkably, st Kitts and nevis Patriots knocked off their target of 129 in just seven overs.
that followed Lewis’s undefeated 125 from just 62 balls against India in Jamaica in July, leaving Brathwaite — no slouch himself — with little option but to salivate.
‘evin was breathtaking at the CPL,’ he said. ‘I don’t think any boundaries in the world are big enough for him. He’s unorthodox, but by the time you wake up in the fifth or sixth over, he has 40-odd.’
If Gayle, now 37, is entering the autumn of a long career that has brought him 103 test caps, a world-record 10,531 twenty20 runs and the self- imposed moniker of ‘Universe Boss’, then he can hardly be accused of going quietly.
Brathwaite suggested that his swash and buckle have been replaced by something steadier, but Gayle was the CPL’s thirdleading runscorer with 376 at an average of 62. ‘If that doesn’t show hunger,’ said his captain, ‘I don’t know what does.’
It’s easy to forget that england lost twice to West Indies at last year’s World twenty20, and have beaten them in only four games out of 14 in the format.
the crowning glory of that competition was Brathwaite’s four successive sixes off Ben stokes, controversially rested for this game at his home ground as the eCB seek to manage their star asset before the Ashes. But it was Gayle who got West Indies going in the group stages by pummelling england for 100 not out from 48 balls.
eoin Morgan was reluctant to talk about the lessons his bowlers had learned from that experience, preferring to blame his batsmen for not setting West Indies enough.
But, asked if he had seen a more clean- hitting batsman than Gayle, england’s white-ball captain had to pause for a moment: Probably robailchrist.
‘ Adam Gilchrist. Guys like thathat are the best at what they do. to play against them is a pleasure.’
Morgan’s team do not lack firepower, and Jason Roy has the chance to prove that he should open the batting in tuesday’s first one- day international at Old trafford.
Roy was dropped for the Champions trophy semi-final defeat by Pakistan back in June, and Morgan wouldn’t say if he or Jonny Bairstow would open with Alex Hales during the five-match one- day series. ‘We still have time to think about that,’ he said.
If Lewis and Gayle are in the mood, time is a luxury that may be in short supply up in the north east.