The New Nation - Internet Edition

Reuters, Port Elizabeth

Chris Gayle faces an anxious wait to discover whether he will be fit to captain West Indies in the first test against South Africa in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday.

Gayle, who has missed six matches since he injured a hamstring in the second one-day international against Zimbabwe in Harare on Dec. 2, said a decision on his fitness had been deferred until the morning of the match.

"I feel pretty good but there's still uncertainty and I'll have to assess it on match day," Gayle told a news conference in Port Elizabeth on Monday.

Opening batsman Gayle, a stalwart of 68 tests, will captain West Indies for the first time in a test if he is passed fit.

"I can't remember sitting out of cricket for so long before, and you've just got to accept it and move on," Gayle said.

"But it's very frustrating because you want to be out there with the guys."

West Indies go into the match on the back of a 10-wicket loss to South Africa A in East London on Friday.

"That was disappointing but we have to look past it and get into the right frame of mind for this very important game," Gayle said.

That result has led to predictions of a series win for South Africa, who have won their last four test rubbers.

West Indies coach John Dyson did not accept that view.

"I don't think it matters what people say, the only thing that matters is the next ball," Dyson told a news conference.

"South Africa have been playing some terrific cricket, but that's gone.

"Maybe when that next ball is bowled their form won't be as good. Maybe they'll bowl a few more loose balls, maybe they'll nick a few."

South Africa will end 2007 in second place in the ICC rankings after starting the year in fifth place.

"We've won our last four test series and for me that's more encouraging than the ranking," captain Graeme Smith said.

"But going up to number two shows that we have been playing good cricket."

Squads:

South Africa: Graeme Smith (captain), Herschelle Gibbs, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock, Ashwell Prince, Andre Nel, Paul Harris, Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini.

West Indies: Chris Gayle (captain), Dwayne Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Pedro Collins, Fidel Edwards, Daren Ganga, Rawl Lewis, Runako Morton, Brenton Parchment, Daren Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Darren Sammy, Marlon Samuels, Devon Smith, Jerome Taylor.