Chris Gayle has finished his duties in the Big Bash League with his team, the Melbourne Renegades, missing the finals. But the big Jamaican has had one last very defiant swat on Instagram at those he felt condemned him too harshly for his conduct in the infamous interview with broadcaster Mel McLaughlin.
On January 4, Gayle was interviewed by McLaughlin after being dismissed against the Hobart Hurricanes. He used the interview to make a very public pass at the Channel Ten reporter and anchor, saying "Hopefully we can win this game and we can have a drink after," before telling a clearly embarrassed McLaughlin "Don't blush, baby".
Gayle was widely criticised for the interview and Channel Ten issued a swift apology.
But Gayle has never accepted that he overstepped the mark and has remained defiant in the two weeks since the incident. Today's rant is further evidence of this.
If anything, Gayle's macho swagger just went up another notch. The first line of his Instagram post, beside a picture of himself, read: "My idol & the person who I look up to and also want to be like when growing up as a kid is in the picture."
Having established that he rates himself very highly indeed, Gayle proceeded to take potshots at those he doesn't quite elevate to the same dizzying heights of humanity.
He didn't name them, but there were clear potshots at former England cricketer and Ten Big Bash commentator Freddie Flintoff (who condemned Gayle on Twitter), former Australian opener and ABC broadcaster Chris Rogers (who condemned both this incident and Gayle's past conduct on ABC radio) and others:
"The past cricketer who say I make myself look like a chop, the other who claim I was no good to the youngsters while playing for the thunder, the next one who said he expect that sort of behavior from Chris - Y'all can kiss my 'Black Rass'."
Gayle also claimed he would be back in Australia, even though it is widely rumoured that Big Bash management may prevent him from playing next season.
While some members of the Australian public have supported Gayle, claiming he was just having a bit of fun, this whole issue has been about the dignity of women in the workplace -- and the failure of men like Gayle to respect that dignity.
Female journalists have repeatedly said that it's not for the likes of Gayle to decide what sort of conduct is acceptable. Today's rant suggests Gayle still hasn't got that message.