We can deal with the added pressure – insists Gayle

Photo: Chris Gayle – captain of the Jamaica Tallawahs

As the second staging of the Caribbean’s largest annual sporting spectacle, the Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL), gets underway today in Grenada, Chris Gayle the captain of the defending champions the Jamaica Tallawahs believes his team is capable of repeating as champions in 2014.

Speaking at a breakfast on Monday put on by the team’s founding sponsor, Foska Oats, the big left hander said that despite the odds of repeating being against his team, there was a certain level of confidence within the unit for them to believe that it is possible.

“We are happy to have the new players on board, we welcome them with both hands and we are looking forward to defending our title. There is an added pressure when you are defending and this is my second time leading the team but we are ready,” Gayle insisted.

Gayle who has been struggling with a back injury since last year says that he has been unable to prepare the way he would normally do but is hopeful of the role that he will play in the defence of the crown. “I love to go to the gym to prepare but because of the injury I can’t prepare the way I want,” he lamented. “My normal routine has been affected significantly and it is frustrating… but there is still a lot of cricket left in me and I will continue to entertain the world,” he said with his trademark smile.

Insisting that it will be an all round team effort Gayle pointed to the role played by other players in the win last year, “Chadwick Walton came in and got some runs for us last year, all the players will have to play their part and we have Daniel Vettori coming in, he is a superstar and will fit the role of Murali,” he concluded.

Daniel Vettori will be a member of the Tallawahs for the first time, while Muttiah Muralitharan who played a big part last year is unavailable this season. Vettori himself is excited about the prospects saying, “It will take a little time getting into the swing of things, but I am looking forward to getting into it and hopefully to contribute.”

The competition will bowl off with a game between the Guyana Amazon Warriors and the Antigua Hawsbills at the Grenada National Cricket Stadium beginning at 2:00pm eastern time.