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Chris Gayle: Melbourne Renegades cricketer sparks controversy with 'disrespectful' comments to reporter Mel McLaughlin

By Paul Donoughue, wires

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Cricketer Chris Gayle has sparked an off-field controversy after appearing to proposition a female journalist during a sideline interview.

Gayle, the former West Indies' Test captain, hit 41 from 15 deliveries during the Melbourne Renegades' Big Bash League win over the Hobart Hurricanes on Monday night, a treat for the crowd of just over 16,000.

But it was his sideline chat with Ten Network presenter Mel McLaughlin that drew unexpected attention.

After some post-innings analysis, Gayle suggested he was keen to be interviewed by the journalist "just to see your eyes for the first time".

"Hopefully we can win this game and we can have a drink after," Gayle told the reporter, before quickly adding "don't blush, baby".

McLaughlin, who appeared momentarily taken aback by the comment, replied: "I'm not blushing."

It prompted an on-air apology from the network a short time later, and reassurance that there would not be such comments made in the future.

The broadcaster's Ten Sport TV Twitter account had tweeted a quote from the interview with the hashtag 'smooth'.

It was later deleted and Ten's head of sport, David Barham, told The Herald Sun he was "deeply offended" by the remarks.

"We will be seeking an apology ... We won't be using him in the game anymore," he said.

"Unless things change in the next few days, it's not happening. It was totally inappropriate behaviour. Mel's a working journalist doing a job."

Gayle's remarks also drew a strong reaction on social media, where they were labelled "pathetic" and "disrespectful".

"Big fan of @henrygayle but he made himself look like a bit of a chop there," Andrew Flintoff, the Network Ten commentator and former England all-rounder, wrote.

Geelong Cats player Patrick Dangerfield meanwhile said the comments were "pathetic" and commended the network for calling them out.

Anthony Everard, the head of the Big Bash League, said Gayle's remarks were "disrespectful and simply inappropriate".

"We'll certainly be talking to him and the Renegades about it," he said in a statement.

"There's just no place in BBL — or, for that matter, anywhere in cricket — for that sort of behaviour."

Renegades CEO Stuart Coventry echoed the response and team skipper Aaron Finch said the parties involved had addressed the matter.

"Chris has apologised to Mel," he said after play.

"As an organisation we don't condone it.

"Between Chris and everyone else, they've addressed it ... he's apologised."

However, some have seen the outcry as an overreaction, defending Gayle and suggesting his comments were harmless banter.

"Let's just take it as it was: a bit of a laugh from a known joker," the hockey player Georgie Parker said.

"I like to be told I'm pretty sometimes too. That's all he was saying."

Parker also suggested if she acted in the same way towards a male interviewer, "I'm fairly sure no one would blink an eye lid".

ABC/AAP

Online controversy over Chris Gayle's interview with Mel McLaughlin
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