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Gayle not banned from Big Bash: CA

Sutherland says there is no block on clubs signing the controversial Jamaican for BBL|06

Cricket Australia has confirmed it would not prevent any KFC Big Bash League club from signing West Indies opener Chris Gayle for the 2016-17 BBL|06 season.

Gayle caused outrage in January following his infamous 'Don't blush baby' boundary-line interview with reporter Mel McLaughlin during his spell with the Melbourne Renegades.

Gayle was fined $10,000 for his awkward advances to McLaughlin on national television and his comments were roundly condemned by CA chief executive James Sutherland.

Sutherland said Gayle's comments could be construed as workplace harassment, and a CA spokesman said the organisation stood by its condemnation of his behaviour in the interview.

WATCH: Gayle 'not cool' says Sutherland

"It's not a nightclub, and I think one of the things that perhaps hasn't dawned on everyone is it's actually a workplace," Sutherland said in the wake of the incident.

"Those sort of comments border on harassment. Anyone that sees the humour in that is misunderstanding and somewhat delusional about the situation.

"It's a workplace situation, it's inappropriate and it's very, very public. That just goes to the point about how inappropriate and just not cool that is."

Gayle this week took to social media to announce he had named his newborn daughter 'Blush'. However, the link between the January sexism scandal and the name lead many to believe Gayle was playing a sick joke, and local media reported his partner Natasha Berridge had in fact given birth to a son.

Quick Single: Unabashed Gayle names daughter Blush

Sutherland this week said that with the exception of match-fixers, it was not CA's position to ban players from competing in the BBL.

WATCH: How the Gayle controversy unfolded

"No matter what anyone at Cricket Australia thought (of the incident) at management level, board level, I think you're on a slippery slope if you start making judgements on players who could or shouldn't be playing in the Big Bash League or in our domestic competitions," Sutherland told News Ltd.

"Because, when does that ever end? My view is unless there's a very, very strong reason along the lines of anti-corruption, then it's difficult for us to be making those judgements.

"I'm not saying that it wouldn't happen but my judgement is that it's not appropriate it's about the teams themselves to make the calls."

Renegades Chairman Jason Dunstall said the team were open to all options in their recruitment process, including Gayle, and that position had not changed.

"You'd like to think there's a place for everybody (in the BBL). The excitement he can generate is extraordinary," said Dunstall.

"We want all those types of players on display. That's the idea. What we want is the best players in the world at the BBL."

WATCH: Gayle smashes Big Bash 12-ball fifty

Gayle was the Renegades leading scorer last season with 260 runs in eight games (skipper Aaron Finch had 246 in five matches before international duty) and averaged 32.5.

He equalled the record for the fastest ever Twenty20 half-century as he torched the Adelaide Strikers for 50 in just 12 balls in his last month.

WATCH: Gayle sweeps England away

Gayle then played a key role in the West Indies charge to the World Twenty20 title in India, thumping 11 sixes in an unbeaten century in the Super 10 stage against England, whom the West Indies would  later beat in the final to claim their second World T20 crown.

However, in two matches of this season's Indian Premier League competition, Gayle has managed just one run from seven balls. He is expected to miss Royal Challengers Bangalore's next match against Gujarat on Sunday night but will have returned to the IPL before they play again.