Teams aim to get rid of top-order woes

Match facts

January 10, 2009
Start time 12 noon (2300 GMT today)

Big Picture

The batting is the worry for both teams heading into the important contest at Eden Park - a win for either team would ensure the series is not lost. While West Indies were shot out for 128 in the previous game, New Zealand too have had batting problems, now compounded by Jesse Ryder's latest misadventure - he missed a team meeting and practice on Thursday after a late night of drinking, and will also miss the match on Saturday.

New Zealand's coach Andy Moles had called on his top order to fire after their below-par effort in Christchurch, but scores of 14, 18 and 0 by the top three in Wellington were not what he was hinting at. On Saturday, Brendon McCullum will have two new partners in the top three, adding to the pressure on the under-performing keeper-batsman. Ryder's omission also depletes the bowling stocks: in Oram's absence, he and Grant Elliott were expected to share the ten overs. New Zealand will hope the nerves don't show on Saturday: they are likely to field two debutants, Martin Guptill and Neil Broom, while Mathew Sinclair is making a comeback.

For West Indies, Chris Gayle has failed to spark in the ODIs after being the opposition's bogeyman in the Tests and Twenty20 series. Ramnaresh Sarwan steered them to victory in the shortened contest in Christchurch, but a tame performance in the last game was rightly termed as "terrible" by Gayle. The steady Shivnarine Chanderpaul was tipped by Gayle to open after the Wellington debacle, but that would leave the inexperienced batsmen with the task of tackling Daniel Vettori.

ODI form guide (last five completed games, most recent first)

West Indies: LWLLL
New Zealand: WLWWL

Players to watch

An angry Chris Gayle is perhaps not what the New Zealanders would hope to confront on Saturday. Gayle was not too pleased after the hammering in Wellington, as well as the batsmen's failures to cope with Vettori, and perhaps it's time for the captain to make a statement. If he manages to see off the seamers, watch out for how he handles his opposition counterpart.

Thanks to Ryder, Mathew Sinclair will play his first ODI in over a year. Slotted to bat at No. 3, a substantial score could boost his prospects of a strong comeback. With 331 in five innings, Sinclair is the leading run-getter in the domestic 50-over competition. A steady performance from him could help turn around the trend of top-order failures.

With Scott Styris injured, and the top order undergoing a shake-up, Ross Taylor will be expected to continue the good form he showed in Wellington, where he steered New Zealand to a seven-wicket win with his unbeaten run-a-ball 51. Vettori described it as "one of the best innings" he'd seen him play for New Zealand, and another match-winning performance will help him stamp his mark as the team's top batsman.

Fidel Edwards has been West Indies' leading strike force on the tour, but he turned in an indifferent performance in Wellington, conceding 53 off seven overs without taking a wicket. A performance similar to his 3 for 26 in Christchurch could spell trouble for New Zealand's top order.

Team news

New Zealand are likely to open with newcomer Guptill and McCullum, with Sinclair coming in at No. 3. The hard-hitting Neil Broom was expected to debut at No. 6, but the loss of Ryder might tempt them to pick both Mark Gillespie and offspinner Jeetan Patel in their starting XI. If both Broom and Guptill debut, the cloudy conditions forecast for Saturday could pip it in Gillespie's favour.

New Zealand (probable): Brendon McCullum (wk), Martin Guptill, Mathew Sinclair, Ross Taylor, Daniel Flynn, Neil Broom, Grant Elliott, Daniel Vettori (capt), Tim Southee, Jeetan Patel/Mark Gillespie, Kyle Mills.

With Chanderpaul moving up to open, Sarwan might be pushed a spot or two down to avoid having all three of their best batsmen at the top. Kieron Pollard, who has hardly contributed with bat or ball, and was reprimanded for breaking the glass of a dressing-room door in Wellington, could be shunted out in favour of Brendan Nash.

West Indies (probable): Chris Gayle (capt), Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Xavier Marshall, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shawn Findlay, Brendan Nash, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Jerome Taylor, Nikita Miller, Fidel Edwards, Darren Powell.

Stats

Six wickets at 12.33, at an economy-rate of 3.08 in the series have pushed Vettori back to the top spot in the ICC rankings for ODI bowlers. He has taken 21 wickets at 15.57 in all games this tour against West Indies. One batsman who wouldn't be too keen on facing him is Denesh Ramdin - Vettori has dismissed him eight times in 16 innings (all formats).

New Zealand have won eight and lost 12 ODIs at Eden Park this decade. In day games, they've won and lost eight each. West Indies have won two and lost three games at the venue, with one loss and win since 2000 - the win came in a dead rubber (and day-nighter) in 2006.

Quotes

"He just told me to make sure I go and play my game and keep still."
Brendon McCullum reveals the latest instruction from coach Andy Moles

"We need to show character and work hard to stay in the series. There is a lot left in this series."
Chris Gayle is gunning for a win

"I feel in control of the ball, I feel like I have a really good understanding and the fact that I'm captaining the side means I can bowl myself in what I perceive as the best possible time for a spinner to bowl."
Daniel Vettori sounds like a man in charge