BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

WEST INDIES captain Chris Gayle said his side used the negative off-the-field developments to lift themselves during the recent one-day international series against England.

The tour began controversially when Gayle was reprimanded by the West Indies Cricket Board after refusing to apologise for comments criticising the board's handling of the ODI series.

"You always use the negative as a motivating factor and we have put that behind us and we just want to play the cricket," Gayle said, after the team arrived here from England on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old Gayle insisted that from the start of the ODI series, the team had been gelling well, with members supporting each other.

Bravo an inspiration

He said all-rounder Dwayne Bravo had played a key role in team unity, noting the Trinidadian had been an inspiration.

"Well, even before the first one-day game we played against England, you always saw the guys celebrating whenever the guys got a wicket and the likes of Bravo, who always have a lot of energy and always keeping the guys going, and Bravo always enjoys his cricket," Gayle pointed out.

"Those sort of things really interact with everyone else so it makes everyone feel comfortable, so you can relax and play the cricket, everyone enjoyed himself."

Gayle said the team support had made his stint as captain enjoyable and easy especially sincehe had known most of the members for several years.

Under Gayle's captaincy, the Caribbean side won the NatWest ODI series 2-1 against England and won their three games in the quadrangular series in Ireland against Scotland, Netherlands and hosts, Ireland.