This week, I'll start with the IPL and there can surely be no argument about who is the international Player of the Week. Anyone who can hit 107 in 49 balls and 3-21 in the same match and still have an even more memorable game two days later has to win my accolade, even though I am one of his many critics regarding his attitude problem. Of course I'm talking about Chris Gayle.
Despite those two triple-centuries, he doesn't have a brilliant Test record. Even more surprising, his reputation for fearsome hitting doesn't necessarily translate to his first-class game. Unlike, say, Virender Sehwag, his strike rate in Tests is way short of his one-day figures. Nevertheless, with a point to prove to the WICB, he has been a revelation in the IPL in recent weeks and has almost single-handedly taken the Bangalore franchise to the play-offs. The aforementioned all-round performance was followed today by his innings of 41 in a mere 16 balls. That included 37 in one over, helped by a no-ball. Great entertainment, but pity the poor bowler, Prasanth Parameswaran!
Back in England, Lancashire have advanced to the top of the County Championship but they came a cropper in the CB40 competition today. Striking performances over the past seven days include Jonny Bairstow's maiden double-hundred. The other week, I mentioned Yorkshire's embarrassment of wicketkeeping riches, to which the 15 year-old Barney Gibson could now be added, but 21 year-old Bairstow could be a fixture for years to come, his game suited equally to first-class and one-day formats. Other names to mention are Simon Kerrigan, also 21, who claimed exceptional figures of 5-7 in Lancashire's victory over Warwickshire, and Ravi Bopara. I only include the latter not because of any great contribution on the pitch but because he has supposedly turned down a call from the Mumbai Indians in order to concentrate on playing proper cricket to regain his England Test place. He has risen considerably in my estimation as a result.
However, my County Player of the Week is another keeper-batsman, Craig Kieswetter. He seems to have been around for ages yet is still only 23. Those early performances for Somerset which earned him an England ODI call-up were two seasons ago. 2010 was less successful for him domestically and he spent the winter with the Lions rather than the full international side. Nevertheless, this week he produced two well-timed centuries for his county, both in a winning cause. His 117 was his first Championship hundred of the summer, then today's innings of 108 not out steered Somerset to their fourth successive 40-over victory. His ability to produce match-winning performances with the bat, allied to talent behind the stumps, could well bring him back in contention for the senior England squad once more. Bad for Somerset but good for him!
