Gayle: Media trying to tarnish my brand

Australia

West Indies all-rounder Chris Gayle has defended his 'Don't blush, baby' comment to BBL reporter Mel McLaughlin, and says she knew he was going to say something outrageous before the interview began.

Gayle came under massive fire for propositioning McLaughlin live on air, but refused to apologise afterwards, and even named his baby daughter Blush. He told the BBC that McLaughlin was aware he was going to say something along those lines.

He also said that the Big Bash League owed a lot to him, and that he had helped build it into the success it is, and that the media and the BBL were trying to tarnish his reputation.

Gayle said of the incident: "Even before I did that interview the players were laughing because they knew I was going to do some crazy thing or say something to make people laugh.

"Mel knew it as well. Even before I did the interview she was saying, "Come on guys, stop laughing, don't let him do it."

He added that the media reaction was over the top and vindictive, and that there was a plot afoot to damage his 'brand'.

Gayle added: "I didn't feel I was being treated right. The media made a big meal out of it. It was straight up double standards. How can you brand me for running a joke like that?

"For someone being part of the Big Bash for so many years, who actually built the Big Bash from day one, the same name they used to build the Big Bash is the same name they want to tarnish.

"It was Chris Gayle who started that Big Bash and it blew up this big now. It's just unfortunate and people have their agenda against other people as well.

"Just let Chris Gayle live his life and stop trying to damage the brand that a lot of people love."

He has since been involved in another sexism scandal during the IPL, after asking Times journalist Charlotte Edwardes whether she'd ever been with a black man, and whether she'd had a threesome.

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