Gayle Returns for Ageas Bowl ODI
Gayle is one of the most exciting players to watch in world cricket
All-Rounder included in West Indies Squad
The West Indies’ charismatic all-rounder and former captain, Chris Gayle will play international cricket for the first time in 14 months at The Ageas Bowl after being recalled by the West Indies for the NatWest One-Day International Series against England.
The 32-year-old has been out of the team following a dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board but will now be one of the star attractions at the home of Hampshire Cricket when the two teams meet on 16 June.
He is the fourth highest-scoring West Indies batsman in ODI cricket with 8,087 runs at an average of 39.06 from 228 matches and was also the leading run-scorer in this year's Indian Premier League with 733 runs, including a fine 128 from 62 balls.
Clyde Butts, chairman of the selection panel, said: "Chris is a player of proven quality and we are looking forward to him adding this dimension to the side and his contributions as a senior member of the squad."
Two players who have also made quite an impact at The Ageas Bowl in recent seasons, Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard, also return to the 15-man squad. Both performed, for Somerset and Essex respectively, at Twenty20 Finals Day at the ground in 2010, the former having to retire hurt after being hit by a Dominic Cork bouncer to the head, the latter perishing in the Semi-Finals to the Royals.
Also included is Sunil Narine, a 24-year-old off-spinner from Trinidad who has taken 14 wickets in eight ODIs. He was also the second-highest wicket-taker in the IPL with 24 victims at 13.50 apiece as well as boasting the second lowest economy rate in the competition.
Butts added: "There is a balanced combination of young rising players like Sunil Narine in the bowling department and Johnson Charles in the top order of the batting - in addition to the well known seasoned internationals."
West Indies One-Day squad: Darren Sammy (captain), Dwayne Bravo (vice-captain), Tino Best, Darren Bravo, Johnson Charles, Fidel Edwards, Chris Gayle, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin (wicketkeeper), Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith.
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