BIG-HITTING Chris Gayle, a giant on the modern cricketing world stage, is all set to make his Somerset debut in the Nat West T20 Blast match against Essex at Chelmsford today (7pm).

The 35-year-old West Indian who bats left handed and bowls right arm off breaks, is one of the biggest names in T20 cricket and has represented teams all round the globe.

He currently holds the world record in T20 for an innings of 175 which he scored in the Indian Premier for the Royal Challengers Bangalore last year.

Certainly the big mans arrival is eagerly awaited by everybody at Somerset- players and spectators alike.

Somerset T20 skipper Alfonso Thomas said: “I have played in the same side as him out in Bangladesh. If he bats anything like he did when I was playing in the side over there then the crowds are in for a treat he was just amazing.

“He has scored runs every time that I have played against him and with him and now that he is involved here that will continue.”

“I have come across Chris Gayle quite a few times in T20 tournaments across the world and been on the end of some devastating knocks from him so it will be great to have him in a Somerset shirt and doing the business for us.

Pete Trego said: “We are one game into a long stretch of T20 games and the team are in pretty good shape but the sort of fire power that Chris Gayle can give is what any team in the world would be proud to have in their line up.

“It should be really exciting to have him with us on Friday and then back here for the Kent game on Sunday.”

Pakistani Test bowler Sohail Tanveer, who made his Somerset debut in the six run home defeat by Sussex said: “I have played a couple of games with him and a lot of cricket against him and when he gets going nobody can stop him."

All of the team are looking forward to having him in the camp and he will bring a lot of experience with him “He has played T20 all over the world and was recently playing IPL so Im pretty sure that when he comes then the team will get better.”

After Friday’s T20 game Somerset host Kent on Sunday in another NatWest Blast game, starting at 2.30pm. The game is expected to be a sell out so the advice is to purchase tickets in advance for all of the home T20 matches.