Rookie off-spinner Craig backing himself against Gayle

Christchurch (New Zealand), May 23 (IANS/CMC) Rookie off-spinner Mark Craig said he was not intimidated by the prospect of bowling at aggressive West Indies opener Chris Gayle in the upcoming series.

The 27-year-old was one of two uncapped players named in New Zealand's 15-man squad for the three-Test tour of the Caribbean starting June 8 in Jamaica.

"I'm not overawed by bowling to him," CMC reported quoting Craig.

"It's a good opportunity, not for bragging rights, but if I get him out it's going to be pretty exciting.

"I don't mind getting hit out of the ground every now and then. Then the job's about getting him out."

Craig was a bit of a surprise inclusion in the squad, with just 22 first class matches since making his debut three years ago. However, he got the nod after frontline off-spinner Jeetan Patel became unavailable for personal reasons and veteran left arm spinner Daniel Vettori also ruled himself out.

Craig is not a complicated spinner. He has no "doosra or carrom" ball in his arsenal. Despite this, he believes he can still be a threat in international cricket.

"It just means that you've got to work that little bit harder in terms of deceiving guys in the air and things like that, if you don't have the one that goes the other way," Craig reasoned.

"I basically just try and give the ball as big a rip as I can to spin the ball big and get a bit of drop on the ball to bring in that bounce. I try and catch a glove or go through-the-gate to the righties or LBW or nick off to the lefties."

New Zealand will leave for the Caribbean Saturday where they play Tests in Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana.

--IANS/CMC

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