Cricket: Gayle will return in any shape says Holder

They had some differences on the park and Chris Gayle was conspicuous in his absence yesterday in Napier but the West Indies will need their master blaster on deck if they fancy any chances of upstaging the Black Caps in a most likely World Cup quarterfinal in Wellington this Saturday.

West Indies skipper Jason Holder played down suggestions of friction with former captain Darren Sammy last night after they comfortably beat the United Arab Emirates by six wickets at McLean Park in their final pool B match of the premier ODI tournament.

"We're all good. We're very good mates. It's just part of the game, you know, in the heat of the moment. It's a crucial game but we shake hands again and still smile together," said the 23-year-old at the media conference after he and Sammy appeared to exchange words when Holder pulled the veteran out after just one over in trying to break the batting partnership.

Playing it down as "a little banter on the field", Holder countered the "little tussle there" was about having some fun but "unfortunately it probably didn't look that way".

In a preview in Saturday's edition of the Hawke's Bay Today, Sammy had emphasised there was no acrimony in losing the mantle of captaincy and it was imperative the senior players supported the rookie captain.

"He's young but he's learning very quickly so we senior players have to give him all our support," he had said.

Petty squabbles aside, the Calypso boys will want veteran opener Gayle back in the matrix to build a solid platform.

"Chris Gayle's had his back problem for the past year so he'll have his good days and bad days," Holder said.

"Obviously he's a key player for us and his fitness is key going into the quarterfinals so I'm sure he'll be up for it even if he's not 100 per cent," he said of the 35-year-old whose unavailability was announced shortly before the game.

Holder had declared everyone was fit and healthy in Saturday's press conference but Gayle had not trained since arriving in Napier.

Their victory immediately turned attention to the Black Caps although Pakistan were on track to beat Ireland last night when HB Today went to press at 11pm.

"I see New Zealand's been playing some decent cricket and they haven't lost a game so, hopefully, this quarterfinal will be good," Holder said.

Using the new ball to claim early wickets in the tourney so far, he felt it would be a good ploy for the Windies to unsettle McCullum's men.

"I think one reason why they're on top is because of [Martin] Guptill, [Brendon] McCullum and also Kane Williamson so I think if we can get into their middle order as quickly as possible it'll be better off for us ... "

Bowling first yesterday to stifle UAE in a bid for chasing down a paltry total followed the script for Holder's team.

Holder (4-27) and fellow new-ball merchant Jerome Taylor (3-63) made early inroads, helping skittle the opposition for 175 with 14 balls to spare.

In keeping with their cup routine, the minnows' specialist batsmen came and went quicker than self-service customers at the aisles of a grocery supermarket.

By the ninth over they were five down with the total frozen around the late-20 mark akin to a dial-up internet connection.

However, another scalp later Amjad Javed and Nasir Aziz forged a 50-run partnership as they neared 100 runs soon after passing the halfway stage of their innings.

Javed and Aziz brought up their 50s before Andre Russell unsettled the former's furniture for 56 with 10 overs to go.

That triggered another collapse as Muhammad Naveed came and went, albeit including a lusting six after facing two deliveries, in similar fashion for 14 courtesy of Russell.

Aziz did UAE proud with 60 from 86 balls but it was too obvious the associated nation was out to reverse the tide of displeasure at their bunker stance in previous games.

"It's all about building pressure," Holder said, playing bat/pad to any suggestions they might have taken their foot off UAE's throat after having them six down.

Opener Johnson Charles, who came in as replacement for an injured Darren Bravo for his first cup game here, may pose some dilemmas for the selectors after a crisp 55 off 40 balls.

"It's a different atmosphere in New Zealand and you've got to make adjustments", the wicketkeeper from St Lucia said. "It's one thing to have belief in yourself but another thing to have team belief."

Holder wasn't at liberty to say if Charles, 26, would be in the quarterfinal mix but felt the conditions at the Cake Tin would probably influence the selectors.

Jonathan Carter ( (50no) and Denesh Ramdin (33no) saw them home with 176 in 30.3 overs.

UAE captain Mohamed Tauqir said they couldn't cope with the blistering pace of Windies' bowlers.

"[The total] ... was a decent recovery but it wasn't enough runs on the board," Tauqir said.

He labelled UAE's winless campaign "satisfactory".

"We could have done better than this ... especially in our batting department."

Amjad Javed and Manjula Guruge were their top bowlers.