The Sports Lowdown For All Your News and OpinionsAfter 328 runs in just 3 innings, Chris Gayle has said farewell to Somerset following the expiration of his short-term contract though could return later should the Taunton based side make the knockout stages.
Somerset announced a deal had been reached for Gayle to play for them in this year’s T20 Blast back in March. The West Indian played his first game for the club on 29th May against Essex at Chelmsford. He scored 92 to help Somerset chase down 177 and win the game.
In his next appearance two days later, Gayle smashed 151 off just 62 balls, finishing not out, but he could not prevent Somerset from narrowly losing out to Kent. In what turned out to be his final innings for the club, he hit an unbeaten 85 to guide Somerset to an eight wicket victory over Hampshire. Gayle was expected to play his final game for Somerset against Surrey, but the game was rained off.
35-year-old Gayle is one of the most explosive players in world cricket, with a strike rate of 143 in the 45 international T20 matches he has played. He has also scored nearly 10,000 ODI runs and averages over 42 in Test cricket.
Gayle will now go and play in the West Indian domestic T20 competition, but if Somerset qualify from their group he may return for the knock-out stages of the competition. Somerset are currently 6th in the South Division, meaning as it stands they will not qualify.
