West Indies bowling coach Curtly Ambrose confident Chris Gayle will play

West Indies bowling coach Curtly Ambrose said he is confident that flamboyant opener Chris Gayle will turn out for the regional side when it faces New Zealand at the Westpac Stadium

Wellington: West Indies bowling coach Curtly Ambrose said he is confident that flamboyant opener Chris Gayle will turn out for the regional side when it faces New Zealand at the Westpac Stadium on Saturday.

Chris Gayle bats during a practice session in Wellington yesterday. Pic/AFP

Gayle trained for the first time this week yesterday morning, batting in the nets two days after receiving an injection in his lower back.

The injury forced him out of the West Indies’ six-wicket win over the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, when they squeezed into the final eight despite their erratic form in pool games. “We expect him to play on Saturday. It’s a big game and we know what kind of player he is and as long as he can go out there and start and bat for us... which is the most important thing and get us a good start,” said Ambrose.

Holder coy over Chris’ fitness
Meanwhile, WI captain Jason Holder remained coy on whether Gayle will play today’s match. “He’s had an injection and a scan. The scan didn’t show anything major, so we’ll just see how he pulls up today and make a decision tomorrow morning,” he said.

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