It is said that true friendship does not require anything elaborate to be valuable or valued. True friendship only requires a few key ingredients - loyalty, understanding, trust and a listening heart. Mix these with good personality and a sense of humour and you have a friendship for life.
That is what West Indies captain Chris Gayle shares with his brethren and trusted confidant, Radcliffe Haynes.
A hard-hitting left-handed batsman who can also bowl right-arm off spin, Gayle began playing for the West Indies at the youth level at age 19. He played his first one-day international (ODI) 11 months later and his first Test match about six months later.
In 2002, Gayle became the fourth West Indian player to score 1,000 runs in a calendar year and, along with Sanath Jayasuriya and Brian Lara, he is the only player in ODI history to have recorded three or more scores of 150.
Gayle was appointed captain of the West Indies team for the ODI tour of Zimbabwe in 2007. He remained captain for the subsequent three-match Test series and five ODI matches in South Africa. The 28-year-old has received rave reviews for his leadership, especially after he led the West Indies to victory in the first Test of the series at Port Elizabeth, South Africa, by128 runs.
Radcliffe Haynes has been his teacher and 'boni fide' (to use a common vernacular for trusted friend). Haynes has been teaching language and literature at Gayle's alma mater, Excelsior High School, for the last 15 years. He also teaches communications at Excelsior Community College and works with the Electoral Office of Jamaica as a trainer.
Through the eyes of Radcliffe (Raddie), we gain interesting insights into the other side of the West Indies opener and one who is regarded as a phenomenal batsman and proficient spinner. Bet you didn't know, for example, that 'Mr Cricket' was also a footballer. Read on.
How did you meet Chris Gayle?
I met Chris in 1992 when he entered Excelsior High. I was his first form teacher and remained his form teacher for the next three years. He started to play cricket for the school and he also played for the cricket club, Lucas, as a youngster. I am cricket enthusiast, so I would watch him and other boys on the school's cricket team whenever they played matches. He started to excel in the game and, as his form teacher, I would support and encourage him.
I was really close to all the students in the class and we used to spend time talking about the matches. The rest of the class also supported Chris and we would celebrate his achievements after a match and encourage him to continue to excel at the sport.
Tell us what you admire most about him, and why do you think you have remained friends all these years.
Chris is very sincere, very straightforward, down to earth and honest. For me, he is always Chris Gayle, the friend, and not Chris Gayle, the star. We have remained friends all these years because we respect each other and look out for each other. Even when he was a student, I related to him as a brethren.
When you get together as brethren, what do you talk about?
We talk about everything; cricket is not always the central focus. Whenever he comes home from a tour he likes to catch up on what's happening in the country, and he is always interested in sports, what's happening with the Reggae Boyz, and what's happening at Excelsior.
Share with us the most memorable moment you have had with him.
The most memorable was when he was selected for the West Indies A team in 1998. He was still in school at the time. I was overjoyed because I knew it was what he always wanted.
Another memorable moment was when he scored 300-odd runs in the match against South Africa in Antigua, about two or three years ago.
Tell us the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of him, and why.
Sincerity … Chris is a true person and a true friend.
What are his favourite food, favourite music and favourite sport?
He loves ackee and saltfish and has to have it whenever he is here in Jamaica. Jerk chicken is also one of his favourites.
Music is reggae/dancehall.
Sport? Cricket, of course! What many people don't know, though, is that he is a very good footballer and he even played for the Excelsior team while he was in school, but his focus and love was always cricket.
Tell us the colour that you associate with him:
Yellow signifying someone you'll never forget
Orange signifying someone you consider your true friend
Red signifying someone you really love
Green signifying someone you'll remember for the rest of your life.
ORANGE. Chris is a true friend and our friendship is not based on his success or superstardom.
Define for us what you consider to be a true friend:
A true friend is someone who is always there for you, no matter what the situation; someone you know you can depend on unconditionally.
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