Skipper all aTwitter
The Age
Thursday December 3, 2009
THE touring West Indies cricketers may be a sad and forlorn lot after their disastrous start to this Australian series but if their captain, Chris Gayle, has any say in it at least they'll maintain their sense of humour. In a rare insight into the life of a globetrotting sportsman, the flamboyant batsman with the film-star looks has been using the public communication forum Twitter to keep his fans abreast with what has been happening in his life since he touched down on our shores, in particular his untimely return home to be with his mother, Heazlyn Gilroy, who was admitted to hospital in Kingston a week before the first Test with a heart problem. Mercy dashes to ill mums are never a laughing matter, of course, but as Gayle proved when he arrived back in Brisbane, looking more like a rock star than a cricketer, and vowing to score a century (which, sadly, he failed to do) in honour of his "mom" her quick recovery at least enabled him to stay buoyant during the ordeal €” and show just how much he cares for her. As for that sense of humour €” well, there was one bit in particular that took our fancy, his reference to taking a commercial flight back to Australia, rather than his personal jet (yeah, he wishes!), because "the pilot was too drunk ... and of course I fired him". It's at this point we say LOL (that's "laugh out loud" for the uninitiated: hey, even "oldies" like us know that!).A SAMPLE of the Twitterisms from "Henry Gale" (the skipper's name for himself) with which he has been entertaining his fans the past fortnight or so:Thanks all for the prayers, I'm right next to my mom right now.She giving me some jokes, saying her legs feel lighter ... I told her she's a big star.The doctor saying her heart not that good, but she improve a lot €” and (needs) to lose some weight.Just ask her if she feel young again. She said not yet. Also she wants to say thanks again for those prayers! Nurse ask me to wait outside. Sigh.Received more flowers ... and best wishes. Mom says thanks. I'm a bit drained now. Food and then sleep, be back at hospital later.Boy, can dad eat! He had bowl a soup, 2 beers, 1 steam fish and still going. LOL. I had 1 steam fish and 2 henny! Dad better pay bill!In the gym now, blowing off some steam. See €” out it goes!Like yall prayers working good. Doctor said mom can leave hospital tomorrow! Thank god!Just finish get together with family & frens. Steam fish jerk pork an chicken. Beautiful send off. Looking fwrd to join back my teammates!At airport now looking board (sic). Just finishing up my curry chicken. Will pick up my private jet in the states then on to Brisbane. Sweet As!Couldn't use my private jet. Pilot was too drunk so commercial all the way (to) Brisbane. And of course I fired him.I'm cool my big fren, will defi bounce back.Howzat, Serena!DID someone say something about maintaining a sense of humour? That then must bring us to this €” a snap of Serena Williams, she of tennis fame, who has been in Jamaica this past week for a tournament and was roped in by cricket officials to help promote the upcoming World Twenty20 Cup. They decked her out in cricket gear, too, asked her to face up to a few deliveries (yikes, despite playing tennis right-handed she bats left-handed) and apparently hit the ball quite well. "We've been playing like girls recently, so we may as well select one," quipped an onlooker (gee, glad we didn't say that). Someone also said something about her being able to give the Australians a taste of their own medicine when it comes to sledging. Good point.
© 2009 The Age
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