Wellington, Dec 18 (AFP) The West Indies will hopeshort-form master Chris Gayle can inspire a misfiring battingline-up in the one-day international series against NewZealand starting on Wednesday.
The tourists meekly surrendered with the bat as theyslumped to a 2-0 Test series whitewash against the Black Caps,and need a major improvement in the three ODI games.
Gayle, arriving fresh from a record-breaking stint in theBangladesh Premier League, promises to inject the aggressionand confidence lacking so far during the tour of New Zealand.
He smashed a record 18 sixes in an unbeaten 146 off 69balls in the BPL final to add to the slew of titles he alreadyholds in the ultra-short form of the game.
Afterwards, the 38-year-old told ESPNCricinfo he was "thegreatest batsman of all time".
His self-assessment may be debatable but New Zealandpaceman Lockie Ferguson said the hosts were well aware of thethreat the left-hander from Jamaica poses.
Ferguson said Gayle would need time to adjust to localconditions in the opening ODI at Whangarei's Cobham Oval.
He said New Zealand's new-ball combination of Tim Southeeand Trent Boult would be aiming for an early breakthrough.
"Our opening bowlers are extremely good at swinging theball, so I think there's definitely a challenge for himthere," Ferguson told Radio Sport.
"Of course, if he gets going then he's one of thoseworld-class batters who can go a long time and score lots ofruns."The West Indies, who are ninth in the ODI rankings, willbe without batsmen Marlon Samuels (finger) and Sunil Ambris(broken arm) as well as bowler Alzarri Joseph (back).
The fifth-ranked New Zealanders are missing two of theirbiggest hitters in Martin Guptill (hamstring) and Colin deGrandhomme, who pulled out of the series after the death ofhis father.
They will also rest captain Kane Williamson and Southeeafter Wednesday's first ODI as a busy season looms with homematches against Pakistan, Australia and England.
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (capt, first ODI only), ToddAstle, Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Lockie Ferguson, MattHenry, Tom Latham (capt, second and third ODIs), Adam Milne,Colin Munro, Henry Nicholls, Tim Southee (first ODI only),Ross Taylor, George Worker, Neil Broom (second and thirdODIs), Mitchell Santner (second and third ODIs)West Indies:Jason Holder (capt), Jason Mohammed, ShimronHetmyer, Ronsford Beaton, Shannon Gabriel, Chris Gayle, KyleHope, Shai Hope, Sheldon Cottrell, Evin Lewis, Nikita Miller,Ashley Nurse, Rovman Powell, Chadwick Walton, KesrickWilliams. (AFP) PDSPDS.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.