Gayle yet to fire in Big Bash

Chris Gayle (FP)

Fri, January 04, 2013 - 6:19 PM

PERTH – Chris Gayle’s dismal tournament continued as his Sydney Thunders laboured through another pathetic performance, crashing to a nine-wicket defeat to the Perth Scorchers in the Australian Big Bash League yesterday.

The Jamaican yet again failed to register any significant impression with the bat, falling to Jason Behrendorff as the Scorchers restricted the winless Thunder to 113 for nine in their 20 overs and reached the target losing just one wicket at the WACA.

The high-profile and highly paid Gayle, standing in as Thunder skipper for the injured Chris Rogers, scored just two runs from nine balls, as the Thunder slumped to their 12th straight Big Bash defeat, dating back to last season.

The only resistance came from Test aspirant Usman Khawaja who hit 56 off 45 balls.

Shaun Marsh, with 56 off 45 balls, and Marcus North, 39 off 30, combined for an unbeaten century stand to seal victory for the Scorchers in 13.2 overs.

The nine-wicket win lifted the Scorchers, last season’s runners-up, from sixth to second position ahead of their final match away to the Adelaide Strikers.

Gayle’s Thunder has one final chance, against the Melbourne Stars on Tuesday, to avoid the ignominy of ending the tournament without a win. (CMC)