CHRIS GAYLE, as captain of Jamaica's cricket team to the Stanford 20/20 competition in Antigua, led the country to the final, an admirable feat, and then watched as the side succumbed to some good bowling from Trinidad and Tobago to be all out for 91.

Then, Trinidad and Tobago dismantled Jamaica's bowling, romping to their target with about half the overs in their innings going unneeded.

Of course, the disappointment of a nation came with the defeat and the US$500,000 Jamaica earned from the tournament was no consolation to a proud country that has for a long time felt short-changed by its most talented cricketers.

With Marlon Samuels, Gayle, Daren Powell and Jermaine Taylor all commanding West Indies places, one would have thought Jamaica boasted the best team in the competition and should have easily come home with not just US$500,000 more than they did, but with the pride of their fans intact. What was even more disappointing than the result, because I believe "you win some you lose some", was the fact that Gayle seemed unapologetic about the way the game turned out.

Revamped batting order

Gayle chose to revamp his batting order on the fateful night of the final and many have suggested, whether rightly or not, that this had a negative impact on the team's batting performance and may have even cost them the game. On his return to Jamaica, Gayle was greeted by the press, as is customary, and was asked about his decision - a decision the country feels helped in its undoing.

Now, I believe in having a strong captain, one that speaks his mind and one that makes decisions without fear, come what may. This I have seen in Gayle and this I like. However, the way it is done is very important.

There is no way Gayle should have been as rude and abrupt with the people of Jamaica as he was. It is the fans that make the sport what it is and Gayle seems to have forgotten that.

The nature of Gayle's comments shows that he still has much growing up to do.

I am not saying that Gayle should apologise for deciding to switch the batting order - albeit a mistake. I am saying he should apologise to the Jamaican public for making it seem as if he has no regard for their thoughts, no regard for the fact that one of the reasons he should be playing is for those fans.

Statements like "if it had worked nobody would be saying anything", while true, paint the wrong picture.

Dealing with fans

I don't think Gayle doesn't care about the fans, but I do think he doesn't quite understand, just yet, how to deal with them. In another public forum, Gayle was more sympathetic to the fact that Jamaicans would have been disappointed with the team's performance and I would rather think that this is the way he sees it.

If I am wrong about this, which is an opinion I have already been hearing whispered in the 'stands', the young man, and maybe he can't be called that anymore, needs to learn some tact.

In every society, being punished is a means of socialisation and for Gayle to learn that as Jamaica captain he serves the population and US$500,000 should not come between that. Gayle needs to feel the wrath of the Jamaica Cricket Board. He should face sanctions for his comments, whether he be suspended or asked to apologise publicly for his statements. The board needs to take a stance.

Brian Lara, as West Indies captain, was either loved or hated but he could never be hated for anything he said in public. He understood diplomacy, and other captains around the world have taken on that stance. Gayle should be no exception.

As a matter of fact, Gayle as a West Indian should be even more acutely aware of this because of the region's history.

In recent times, the West Indies haven't been doing well and one of the arguments of the populace is that players have become concerned with the wrong things.

The fans think players have forgotten them, forgotten the pride they have in the region's cricketers and have forgotten that making them proud is the real reason for playing the game of cricket. The game, at one stage, was a beacon of hope to many, and, today, the region wants that little ray of hope back.

Comments like Gayle's would suggest to such a population that the days of glory, the days when a man said he was proud to be a West Indian when he saw those 11 players on the field, the days when people felt they could do anything if they put their minds to it because the West Indies did, are a long way from returning.