Axed Barath welcomes Gayle return for ODIs

BIRMINGHAM, England (AFP) –

Former captain Chris Gayle, seen here in 2011, has been recalled by the West Indies after more than a year out of the side for the one-day international series against England later this month.

West Indies opener Adrian Barath has said “it’s great” Chris Gayle is returning to the one-day squad — even if the recall has come, in part, at his expense.

Former captain Gayle has been selected for the three-match one-day series against England later this month after a 14-month dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).

The 32-year-old dynamic opening batsman, with a West Indies record 19 hundreds in 228 ODIs to his name, has not played international cricket since a defeat by Pakistan in the quarter-finals of the World Cup in March last year.

A month later, Jamaica left-hander Gayle, one of the world’s most ferocious hitters and a dazzlingly quick run-getter when in form, criticised the WICB and team coach Ottis Gibson after being left out of a squad for a one-day series against Pakistan.

However several meetings between the WICB and Gayle, brokered by senior Caribbean politicians, have ended the stand-off.

Both Barath and Kieran Powell, who have struggled against England in a Test series where the West Indies are 2-0 down heading into the third and final match starting at Edgbaston here on Thursday, have been left out of the one-day squad.

But, sportingly, Barath said Tuesday: “We always welcome players into the set-up. He’s been in the set-up for years and everyone has respect for Chris.

“It’s great to have him back and he’ll lend experience to our players,” added the 22-year-old Trinidad batsman, who in 14 one-dayers has scored one hundred.

“We’re looking forward to having him in the set-up and everyone will learn from him.

“Having Chris in our team (makes it) a really solid team. The depth in our batting – with Kieron Pollard, Darren Sammy, the Bravos (Dwayne and Darren), Marlon Samuels, Andre Russell – once we get going in the powerplay it would be difficult to say how could we not chase a big score or set one.

“So once we get it right, we have a good ODI team and we’re working on getting there in Tests, also.”

The one-day series starts at Southampton on June 16 before further matches at The Oval (June 19) and Headingley (June 22) are followed by a stand-alone Twenty20 international at Trent Bridge on June 24.