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Chris Gayle effortlessly crunched a record-breaking century to lift the Sydney Thunder to a six-wicket win over the Adelaide Strikers in Friday night’s Big Bash League clash at ANZ Stadium.
Gayle made light work of the Strikers’ total of 8-155, thumping 11 sixes – the most in a single T20 innings on Australian soil – to finish 100 not out off just 54 balls and wrap up the win for the hosts with nine balls to spare.
There was no shortage of power in Gayle’s thunderous strokeplay – but this wasn’t the stereotypical match-winning Twenty20 knock.
In true Gayle style, it was cool. Very cool.
Gayle was never flustered and could never be accused of bashing, instead it was all about timing and panache as he sweetly sent the ball deep into the stands.
He also rotated the strike with aplomb and was never in a hurry.
There’s a reason why most BBL franchises wanted the 32-year-old on their books, and the Gayle effect was in full display on Friday.
Although it wasn’t always pretty.
When the Thunder’s run-rate sagged in the 14th over, the crowd of 11,337 started to boo Craig Philipson for not getting Gayle on strike.
There threatened to be a late twist when Philipson was bowled by Aaron O’Brien, reducing the hosts to 4-100 and a required run-rate of almost 10 in the 15th over.
But Gayle held firm.
Four balls later, he planted a six off O’Brien over long on, and continued to march towards the Australian record for most sixes in a T20 dig, bringing up his ton off 53 balls with a pulled single on the leg side.
The result means the Thunder join Hobart as the only undefeated sides in the BBL, with the Gayle’s heroics following David Warner’s stunning century last week against the Melbourne Stars.
“I was a bit nervous but once I hit a few balls and got that first boundary, then things got a bit easier,” West Indies star Gayle said.
“To be honest I don’t even know how many sixes I hit.
“It was a good innings and I can’t complain.”
O’Brien, who finished with figures of 3-26, was in awe.
“It was pretty special wasn’t it? There’s not much I can say – it was just one of those innings,” he said.
Usman Khawaja scored 15 in his first hit-out since being left out of the Boxing Day Test squad, with national selector Andy Bichel amongst the spectators at ANZ Stadium.
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