Chris Gayle finally laid to rest his reputation as an opening batsman with a lack of self-control. His double-hundred against New Zealand in Grenada contained many of his trademark cavalier strokes, but it also showed that he has the ability to be patient when the situation demands. Gayle took over an hour to move from 88 to his hundred, but whereas in the past he would have chanced his arm after being tied down for an over or two, this time he was content to wait. "The New Zealanders do not think I am a patient batsman," he said. "I played a patient role and it paid off for me, but I think they kept bowling outside off-stump wanting to lure me into making an error. I was determined not to fall into their trap."

The New Zealand bowlers paid heavily for their negativity. Once Gayle had reached his hundred he cut loose, at one point cracking four successive fours off Ian Butler.

Gayle admitted that his indiscipline had cost him the chance of big scores on previous occasions, but insisted that he had learnt and was now a far more controlled batsman. "It is time for me to make up for all that lost time and try not to look back, only look forward," he said. "At the start of my career I lacked the experience. As time passes and you play more matches, you get to learn much more from playing and from the senior players in the team. This along with hard work is what brings the results in the end."

And Gayle revealed that at the end of the match he would be heading for England, although he refused to say where he would be playing. "I am going to England and use the opportunity to establish myself. Hopefully, when I come back from England, I will be a better player."

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