Gayle prepares for New Zealand challenge

Chris Gayle, the West Indies captain, says he's ready to play a "big part" during the upcoming Test series against New Zealand. Gayle, who leads a 15-man squad with four players yet to make their Test debut, has said he expects a closely-fought series.

"The battle is going to be a very competitive one. New Zealand have some inexperienced batsmen who will be looking to prove a point," he said. "We have some new players who will be looking for opportunities to make a name on the international stage. I'm feeling confident. Whenever the first match comes we will be ready for the main assignment."

Gayle was the leading run-getter during West Indies' recent assignment, the three-ODI series against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi. He scored 235 runs, including two centuries, but West Indies failed to win a single game. On West Indies' last tour of New Zealand, in 2005-06, he scored 235 runs at 47.00 an took six wickets at 21.16 in the three Tests. But he managed only 51 runs in the five ODIs.

"I have a big part to play as a senior player," he said. "I have been here before and I will be doing all I can to help the new players and also to make a big contribution to the team."

West Indies, who play two Tests, five ODIs and two Twenty20 internationals on this tour, will begin with a three-day game against Auckland on December 5, and Gayle hopes the team will make use of the warm-up. "The build-up has been good. I am hitting the ball very well. We have a match coming up against Auckland where we will look to use to get fully ready for the Test matches."

Gayle said the team had been keeping a watch on the opposition. "We have been looking at New Zealand in Australia," he said. "We watched the matches and also looked at clips to see what the New Zealand players are all about. Australia beat them, but they will be coming back here, on home soil, and will be looking to hit back at us. We will have to counter that. We have a good idea what will be required."

West Indies have arrived in the country at an opportune moment. After their humiliating innings defeat at Adelaide New Zealand have dropped down to eighth place in the world rankings, and recrimination is thick in the air. However, Brendon McCullum, who salvaged some pride with an unbeaten 84, was defiant about his team's long-term prospects.

"Try and find us some better players back home," McCullum told stuff.co.nz. "This is the cream of the crop, the difference from first-class cricket back home to this sort of Test cricket is not comparable so, until such time to we increase that, we will have to develop players on the international scene. In 18-24 months or when these guys have played 20, 30 40 Test matches, then you'll see them put up some decent stats."

The two-Test series begins on December 11 at the University Oval in Dunedin.