PERTH, Australia,  CMC – West Indies captain Chris Gayle has been cleared of serious injury and is expected to return to Australia’s Big Bash Twenty20 tournament next week for his team Western Australia Warriors.

Scans yesterday revealed that the big left-hander’s side strain suffered during Western Australia’s loss to South Australia Tuesday in Perth is only minor, ending fears over his participation in the remainder of the tournament and the West Indies’ limited overs series against Australia in February.

Although medical checks showed there is no muscle tear, the Warriors will rest Gayle for Friday’s away clash with Tasmania.

Considered among the world’s most compelling batsmen in Twenty20 cricket, Gayle is expected to be fit to return for the Warriors’ home match against New South Wales (NSW) on January 5 but coach Tom Moody said they would not force his return. “We’ll be working in consultation with their (the West Indies) medical team but at the end of the day we’ll be wanting the best for Chris Gayle. We are certainly not going to wheel him out there if he’s not fit,” Moody said.

“It’s unfair on him as a professional athlete and it’s unfair on the team to play a guy that’s half fit. At the end of the day we’ll be making sure we do the best thing for him,” Moody added.

Gayle, a huge crowd-puller at the tournament, belted a blistering 44 from 24 balls on Tuesday but was forced to leave the field during the fifth over of the innings at 40, when he injured himself attempting a big hit off medium pacer Mark Cleary.

He had thumped his 40 off just 16 balls, which included three massive sixes.

The 30-year-old Gayle, still the only man to have scored a century in a Twenty20 international, returned later in the innings but – clearly hampered by the injury — added just four from eight balls before being dismissed.

WACA officials are hopeful Gayle’s participation at home against NSW next Tuesday will help attract another sell-out crowd after 17,308 fans attended the Warriors’ Big Bash T20 debut on Tuesday.