• Female reporter calls for equality

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    The female reporter who was the subject of an inappropriate ‘joke’ by Chris Gayle, says she wants to move on from the incident.

    Ten Network reporter Mel McLaughlin found herself being asked out for a drink during an interview with the burly opener after he blasted 41 runs off 15 balls for the Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League (BBL) late Monday.

    On air, Gayle said he was happy to be interviewed by McLaughlin ‘just to see your eyes for the first time’.

    ‘Nice, so hopefully we can win this game and we can have a drink after,’ he said. ‘Don’t blush baby,’ the Jamaican added, prompting McLaughlin to shake her head and reply, ‘I’m not blushing.’

    ‘Sorry,’ he added, breaking into a big laugh.

    Gayle, who plays for the Melbourne Renegades in the BBL, has since been fined US$7 000 for his comments, which  cricket authorities condemned as ‘completely out of line’.

    McLaughlin herself said: ‘I don’t really want to be the subject of such conversations, I like just going about my business and doing my job.’

    She said female sports presenters ‘want equality, we always want equality’.

    Gayle has come unde fire from all corners, including former players and teammates.

    Former Australian opener Chris Rogers said he was ‘not a fan’ of the West Indian despite them potentially being teammates at Somerset next season.

    ‘It’s difficult because he could be at Somerset with me next season,’ Rogers told ABC Radio in Sydney.

    ‘But I wouldn’t have liked to be on air, I wouldn’t have laughed. From my time at the Thunder I was very disappointed with his attitude and his behaviour, and I’ve not been a fan since. People see these one-offs, but this is a pattern of behaviour. If you know the guy, you see it over and over. To defend it, I think, is not right at all.

    ‘I listen to that and I dont think it’s funny at all – he says it’s just a joke, well it’s not just a joke, is it?’

    Former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff criticised Gayle:

    Rusty Theron was one of the few who defended Gayle:

    Here’s a clip of the interview in case you missed it:

     

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    SA CRICKET