Chris Gayle spoke on Tuesday (5th January) following controversial comments he made towards a female reporter on Monday (4th January).

SOUNDBITE: (English) Chris Gayle, West Indies cricketer:

(Reporter's Question: Chris, your comments to Mel McLaughlin last night, what was your take on this?

"You see, to be honest with you, I mean the media is here today to join us and you know a lot of things I have actually cleared up from a simple comment, you know a joke, a simple joke. It seemed to be blown out of proportion. There wasn't anything at all you know meant to be disrespectful to Mel."

(Reporter: She is pretty upset.)

"Can you be quiet and let me finish? There wasn't anything meant to be disrespectful or offensive to Mel. And if she felt that way, then I'm really sorry for that. There wasn't any harm you know meant in that particular way, you know to harm any particular person in any particular way like that. And it was a simple joke. The game was going on. Entertainment, you know, things get out of proportion, you know, but these things have happened. So it wasn't any harm done and like I said, I will leave it at that and I'm sorry for that. And then we just have to move on, simple."

(Reporter's Question: Are you confused that Channel 10 joked about it on Twitter and then they sort of had a go at you?

"Did they post it on Twitter, as well?

(Reporter: They posted your comments with a hashtag.)

"Yeah I mean, maybe because everybody thought it was a joke. I mean I don't know how it reached this far, to be honest. It is one of those things. You know like I said."

(Reporter's Question: Have you spoken to Mel?)

"No, I didn't get a chance to. You know, I tried to reach out to her last night but it didn't happen."

Reporter's Question: She was in her work place, why should she have to feel uncomfortable while she was at work?)

"Did she tell you she was uncomfortable?"

(Reporter: She told her boss that she was uncomfortable.)

"She told you that?"

Reporter: She didn't tell me but she told her boss that she was uncomfortable.)

"All right, have a good day."