James Anderson says Chris Gayle 'too good' for England
By Paul Vinnell
Last Updated: 17/03/16 9:50pm
James Anderson says Chris Gayle was simply "too good for England" in Wednesday's World Twenty20 match.
The West Indies cruised to a six-wicket victory over Eoin Morgan's men, with Gayle smashing a brilliant and brutal 100no off just 47 balls, including 11 sixes.
England posted 182-6, but Gayle's pyrotechnics meant the Windies got home with 11 balls to spare.
Fast bowler Anderson, left out of the squad and commentating for Sky Sports, admitted bowling to the opener is an intimidating experience but said he felt England's bowlers were "naive" early on.
"Obviously when you get a guy like Gayle in form it can be a struggle to keep him in check and I think with our inexperience in the bowling attack it showed through," he said.
"It was a little bit naive up front when we had the ball swinging and that's the perfect opportunity to get someone like Chris Gayle out. We didn't get the ball in the right areas often enough. We gave him too many freebies and let him get going. When he gets going like that it's really difficult to stop him.
"He is such a clean striker of the ball, he puts fear into bowlers. You can come up with plans for him, to get him out and stop him from scoring, but when he clears the ropes so easily, it does put doubts in your mind.
"You've got to try to stay confident and believe you can get him out. But it's not as easy as that. Sometimes you have to take your hat off to the opposition. He was too good for England."
Gayle smashed the ball to all parts of the ground, and upgraded himself from 'world boss' to 'universe boss' after becoming the first player to score two centuries at the World T20.
"It feels like you are bowling slower and slower," Anderson said. "He's a big presence - he's a big guy with a big bat. It's very daunting when you come up against him.
"I think he struggles against the swinging ball. We did get the ball swinging up front. David Willey and Reece Topley did swing the ball. We just didn't get it in the right areas and challenge the edge of the bat. We bowled too full."