"I love girls – and girls love me. I reckon I'm the best-looking bald-headed guy in the world. I joke about being the black Brad Pitt! Everywhere I went as a cricketer, I'd talk to girls, date girls and sleep with girls. I reckon I've slept with anywhere between 500 and 650 girls, all around the world.
I had a beautiful baby called Tamani with my first love Melissa but things went bad with us. The lads had told me that, once I took wickets for Barbados, she'd come running back for me. I had done just that but she hadn't. When she called it a day, I became a bit of a playboy. Put it this way: I was a man whore.
If I liked a girl, I'd go and talk to them – whoever it was. If I'd seen Beyonce and she was single, I'd have gone and introduced myself: 'Hello, my name's Tino. What's yours?' No girl intimidated me. I met a lot of girls at a place called The Boatyard in Barbados. I used to chill there with my team-mates Courtney Browne, Sulieman Benn, Floyd Reifer and Sherwin Campbell, who all played for the West Indies. It had a real cool vibe. It wasn't a nightclub, more a beach bar where you could have a drink, lounge and meet different people.
I was younger than the rest of my team-mates when I first arrived on the scene. I was handsome and single and girls liked that. They liked the fact there was no strings attached with me too.
I was desperate to impress the older lads when I got in the Barbados squad because we had a brotherhood together. I was the new kid on the block and I felt like I'd get points from the boys when I pulled a girl. It was a way of getting more respect and showing I was the man.
The Barbados and West Indies lads used to like a drink but there was no huge drinking culture. They never encouraged me to drink, put it that way, and I never felt pressurised. It was more of a social drink – one or two brandies – and it wouldn't end up out on the p***. I used to train so hard that I couldn't afford to fill myself with booze and throw that down the drain. Risk the opportunity of playing for the West Indies? No chance, bro.
I'd pick and choose who I wanted to date. I used to go on five or six dates a week, all with different girls. So, yes, I was a man whore. I'd have to juggle them round. One on one day, another on another day. I was young and loving the lifestyle.
My mum said she didn't mind me having lots of girls – if I was careful. And there's one thing I never did – I'd never lie to a girl. I'd always tell them straight: I don't want a relationship and all I'm interested in is having fun. No relationship, no stress. It was one bit of advice Floyd always used to tell me. You don't have to tell girls lies. Just be honest.
Once Melissa left, I didn't like the thought of having to answer to someone. I didn't want to be steaming in for Barbados against Jamaica at Sabina Park, worrying if my wife or girlfriend was back home cheating while I was away. I have my whole life to find someone – cricket is a short career.
All the girls knew the score. They knew I was a travelling athlete and they knew I wasn't husband material. Marriage is not really encouraged in our society anyway. People tend to break up so much. You'll spend a load of money building a million-dollar house, split up and the other half will want to have half the damn house. I always wanted to wait and. Even then. It has to be the right girl. I'm not going to rush it.
We used to go on tour with the West Indies – and away with Barbados – and see how many girls we could enjoy. If I went to Australia and saw a nice-looking blonde, I'd want to date them. If I went to South Africa and saw a gorgeous brunette, I'd want to go out for a bit with her. I always used to tease my team-mates and tell them that, if they didn't play cricket, they wouldn't get the girls. I'd get girls because I'm good looking, I'd joke!
We used to have competitions of who could shag the most girls on tour. I think my record, on an eleven-week tour to Australia in 2005, was more than forty. I was twenty four and I didn't play a Test on that tour. The coach, Bennett King, didn't fancy me one bit. He must have been the only one who didn't! He made me watch the Test matches and I used to feel so frustrated. All I did was play the tour games.
But I was bowling fast – at night. I'd go out partying on my own, pick up a girl and take her back to the hotel. I wasn't out drinking much on those nights. I'd have a brandy but I would train and work so hard, so I didn't want much alcohol. I knew drinking would undo all the hard work I was putting in. I'd always be fitter, faster and stronger than everyone else. Nothing would get in the way of that. I wanted girls – not alcohol.
I'd go out, pick up a couple of girls and take them back to our hotel. A plush hotel with a professional sportsman: the girls loved it. Sometimes I'd take back four girls on one night! If that happened, I'd have to call one of the other lads for back-up to help me out.
I've had plenty of threesomes, or menages a trois, as I like to call them. One night I had three girls at once. That's the most I've ever done stuff with. I wasn't getting any play on the field in Australia – but I was at night. The greatest night of my life was in 2004. I had my first menage a trois in the Crowne Plaza hotel in Birmingham. Wow. I went for dinner with two beautiful girls and took them back to my room. That blew my mind.
The most beautiful girls are the Australians. I think they are amazing. They are really into their fitness and have amazing bodies. Did any of this affect my cricket? No, not at all. I don't think it hindered me. There was no-one who trained harder than me for Barbados or the West Indies. If I bring two girls back and have sex with them, I'll still be out there first in the morning working hard. I was smart about it and didn't get into any trouble. I respected that I played for my country and did everything I could – but I liked enjoying myself too.
I'd take girls back to hotel rooms but no-one would know. I'd still train my butt off and I wasn't flaunting it about. I'd move and walk about so slyly. In 2005 I told our coach, Bennett King, that I was heavily committed to my girlfriend back in Barbados – but I didn't even have one! He'd seen me out with a few girls in Adelaide and I needed an excuse.
People used to know me in Barbados but it was different abroad. A lot of girls recognised me and said I was familiar but they thought I was an American who played American Football or something. That suited me. I didn't tell them I played cricket for the West Indies. They just knew I was a professional sportsman and thought I must have been on vacation.
There was a news story that came out in September 2015 when Chris Gayle went on Instagram to post about his strip club. He put up a picture and wrote, 'From the pool to the strip club...if u don't have a strip club at home, U ain't a cricket 'Player' .. I always make sure my guest well entertained and feel like they are at home #LifeIsForLiving #DreamBig.'
Now, Chris is good fun but he doesn't indulge in too much bad stuff. He's a good man, Chris. The most fun on a night out is Dwayne Bravo. We complemented each other very well when we played for the West Indies together. I'll give him an award now: he's the best wingman going!
Don't get me wrong, I respect girls very much. I come from a family of strong women but in the Caribbean things are just more laid back and it's what people do. No-one was getting hurt, no-one was being led on and everyone knew where they stood.
If Melissa had taken me back, I'd have been much cooler and things would have been different but it wasn't to be. I've slept with plenty of women while she's settled down and had another baby. Fair play to her. I hope everything goes perfectly for Melissa. She's a special woman.
The girls might have liked me a lot but some of the guys didn't. Courtney Browne once told me to expect the fact that guys wouldn't take to me because I was young, could bowl fast and I was good looking and confident. I could always carry a conversation too. The girls loved it, the blokes didn't. There's always a tinge of jealousy from other men when they see you talking to girls.
The girls are great but the best thing about being a cricketer is the days on the field. Nothing can beat pulling on the whites of your
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