Gayle issues rallying call

Chris Gayle has called for a better batting effort from his players - young and old alike

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West Indies captain Chris Gayle has called on the team’s younger players to “step up to the plate” as they look to finish their tour of New Zealand by winning the one-day international series.

The tourists’ hopes of doing that suffered a setback in Wellington yesterday when they slumped to a seven-wicket defeat, to leave the series poised at 1-1 with two games to go.

West Indies could manage just 128 after being sent in to bat by New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori - a target the Black Caps reached in less than 21 overs.

Gayle cut a frustrated figure after watching another inept batting display by his side.

Any success West Indies have enjoyed so far on tour has been built on the efforts of their three senior players – Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan – and yesterday it was Chanderpaul’s 45 that ensured his team at least posted a three-figure total.

Gayle has called on emerging batsmen such as Xavier Marshall, Shawn Findlay, Denesh Ramdin and Kieron Pollard to take more responsibility.

“We can’t rely on myself, Shiv and Sarwan to always keep getting the runs. There are going to be days when we don’t get any and they have to step up,” the skipper said.

“I think it’s a mental thing. They are young and having some of the senior batsmen being out of form, these are things that the youngsters can’t handle at the same time.

“There’s a bit of pressure on them but it’s big-time cricket and they have to step up to the plate.

“It has to come from within. We can talk all we want but they are out in the middle and they have to work it out and try and get the runs on the board.”

Vettori has been the cause of most of the touring side's problems as they have struggled to cope with his variation. The left-arm spinner took four wickets for just 20 runs from 10 overs in Wellington.

But an unhappy Gayle felt his batsmen should be coping better against a bowler they had seen plenty of during the Tests, Twenty20s and one-dayers.

“He’s the best bowler in the New Zealand team and he’s a smart bowler as well, but at the same time you have to learn how to combat that and learn how to get out of these situations as quickly as possible because it’s going to cost us games,” Gayle said.

The teams head to Auckland for the fourth match of the series on Saturday, with the final game in Napier on January 13.