CALYPSO blaster Chris Gayle Monday night smashed one of the biggest sixes seen at the Gabba as he blew away the Bulls bowlers in a Twenty20 Big Bash rampage. The West Australian opener, playing his last game before returning to the Caribbean, belted an incredible 92 in a supercharged 40-ball innings that will be remembered by the crowd of 11 601 and the TV audience.
Gayle launched eight blistering sixes but it was one monster blow off paceman Michael Neser that stood out.
The left-hander backed away and crushed the 120m whopper over long-on and into the advertising signs just below the third tier as WA racked up 4-202. The Bulls made 5-170 in reply.
It was an expensive but feel-good night for XXXX, which was donating $1 000 from every six to the Queensland flood appeal.
Even though English batting import Michael Lumb hit the right notes at the start of the innings, the Bulls had no hope.
It was their second Twenty20 loss in two nights and left the side with plenty of soul-searching ahead.
Queensland are now out of contention for the Big Bash finals and for the sixth consecutive season their Twenty20 campaign has crashed and burned, despite having former Test batsman Darren Lehmann on board as guest coach.
But last night was all about one man: Gayle.
Incredibly, the debonair West Indian claimed he could have struck his monster six even further as he insisted: “I just wanted to finish on a high.”
In the course of his explosive innings, Gayle surged to the fastest 50 of the Big Bash season (20 balls) and the third fastest in the six years of the interstate Twenty20 competition.
Queensland’s last Twenty20 game of the season is against the baby Blues NSW side in Sydney on Saturday night. (Herald Sun)