Thank you for the batting music Chris Gayle!

The Sri Lankan cricketers had embarrassment slapped on them by an inexperienced West Indies side by being asked to follow-on in the First of Three Tests at the Galle International Stadium. That the Test ended in a draw was face saving for the Lankans.

Coming back from a historic tour of Australia where for the first time they won a one-day series, and although Test cricket being a different ball game, the Lankans were expected to dominate the Windies in the longer version of the game considering that they were having the home advantage.

When the ignominy of a follow-on was looming, had the latter batsmen showed responsibility and avoided it, they could have put pressure on the visitors in their second essay, and who knows could have pressed for victory considering that they lost their last six wickets for 21.

Morale booster

But the West Indies in making Sri Lanka follow-on have scored a morale boosting victory which should be to their advantage with Two more Tests remaining and the Second one beginning at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Tuesday.

Although Sri Lanka's Ajantha Mendis would have enjoyed himself getting among the wickets with six after a drought, it was that batting giant left handed Christopher Gayle who dominated this Test with a blazing 333.

When he was motoring along, the holder of the individual batting record Brian Lara yet another Caribbean stylish and illustrious left hander would have been wriggling, fearing that Gayle would knock for another six his record like the massive 9 sixes and 34 fours he bludgeoned. Lara would have heaved a sigh of relief when the 'man mountain' was bowled for the 333.

Savage power

What an innings it was from Gayle. I don't think another innings of such beauty, savage power, timing and breath-taking has ever been played in the Island Paradise before and will ever be played.

From the moment he took strike, it was cricket lu'vrly cricket, at Lord's where I saw it, as the perennial went in the days when the Windies with the terrible Ws lashed England.

When in that mood Gayle is king. No bowler could bowl line or length and no captain could set a field, because his shots had arrogance written all over it and it would be like from the barrel of a gun as the ball screeched the turf or flew over the boundary.

Lucrative contract

And in making that blazing 333 Gayle was hitting hard at his detractors who probably refused a more lucrative contract. He was also relieved of his captaincy which would have been hurting and that is why he exploded with fury.

Thank you Christopher Gayle lord of the willow for the batting music. Fans would love another repeat.

The Australian cricket selectors who are doing their best to get up a squad that will win back the Ashes from England, came in for bashing from their critics for picking a squad that the critics say is too large.

Selectors the world over in whatever sport they hold office, do a thankless job. They tend to act in mysterious ways. All that is done to pick teams that will not end up on the losing side.

No different

It was no different with the Aussie cricket selectors headed by former Aussie batsman Andrew Hilditch. Faced with injury and out of form players, the selectors picked what they think is a squad that could help regain the Ashes.

The moment the squad was announced the critics took up cudgels and bashed the selectors. But the selectors are all tough as nails and what -ever the criticism, they will stomach it, because they realize that critics are also doing a job.

But what will ultimately matter is the outcome of the Five Test series with the First one being called 'play' at the famous Gabba in Brisbane on November 25. The Aussie cricketers have a job to do and that is to prove their critics wrong by regaining the Ashes, which will also warm the cockles of the selectors.

None the wiser

'We are none the wiser about the team, and won't know who will play in Brisbane until after this week's Sheffield Shield and Australia 'A' games', the Sydney Morning Herald said.

It further added; 'picking a bulging squad of 17 ultimately rendered the exercise pointless, except to create the publicity Cricket Australia is desperately pursuing to beat an estimated 16 million - 15.8 million shortfall this financial year'.

Not only the Aussie critics, but also the Foreign Media had a dig at the selections. 'were you named in Australia's Ashes squad ?' headlining a blog post for Britain's Daily Telegraph.

Ashes squad

'Ricky Ponting has set the scene for cricket's version of 'The Great Race' by declaring every member of the 17-man ashes squad is in the hunt for the First Test against England, The Telegraph wrote.

Skipper Ponting was on top of the cricket world in both versions - the established game and the 'cowboy game' when he had a dream team that included Justin Langer, Mathew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne and Glen McGrath. With the above named stars, Ponting just steam rolled over all opposition, so much so that they were the envy of all other teams. They ruled the cricket world for a long time.

Aussie coaches

They dominated so much so that even the coaches were in great demand. Most countries employed Aussie coaches and these coaches helped them improve by rubbing the Aussie style of ruthless play into them.

But all good things had to come to an end and it came with the retirement of these greats and soon the Aussie slump in the game began and today they are a team in a crisis, losing matches without putting up a semblance of a fight. Sad. Their recent two-nil loss to India would have been anathema to them and their legion of supporters. But that is how the game goes and it is hoped that the Aussies would get their act back and bash the Englishmen and regain the Ashes.

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