PORT ELIZABETH (South Africa), Dec 25: Captain Chris Gayle remained a doubtful starter a day ahead of the first Test against South Africa as he continued to struggle to overcome a hamstring injury.

Gayle, who has yet to lead the West Indies in a Test match, attended the captain’s pre-match press conference in Port Elizabeth on Monday but said he was not sure whether he would fit enough for the start of the three-Test series at St George’s Park Wednesday.

“It’s improved a lot the last couple of days,” he said. “There is still tomorrow and then the match day and we will have to assess it then. It’s coming on pretty good.”

Even with Gayle in the side, the West Indies’ batting looks brittle following the retirement of Brian Lara and the knee injury which kept Ramnaresh Sarwan out of the tour. Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul are the only experienced, reliable batsmen in the touring party.

If Gayle cannot play, the side will be led by Dwayne Bravo, who also has yet to captain them in a Test match although he is unbeaten in international matches since taking over from Gayle, who was injured in the first One-day International in Zimbabwe last month.

Bravo led the West Indies to three one-day wins against Zimbabwe and an upset Twenty20 international victory against South Africa in Port Elizabeth.

But the West Indies’ batting frailty was exposed when they were beaten in three days by South Africa ‘A’ in their only first-class outing ahead of the Test, which Gayle admitted had been a big disappointment.

With South Africa boasting a strong fast bowling line-up, spearheaded by Dale Steyn, who took 20 wickets in two Tests against New Zealand last month, the hosts will start strong favourites.

Bravo was one of only three West Indians to record a half-century in two innings against South Africa ‘A’, prompting tour manager and former captain Clive Lloyd to comment that the tourists needed to show more patience at the crease.

Gayle said the West Indies would have to play well, whether he was fit or not. “We have to play basic cricket and get the job done,” he said.

Coach John Dyson said on Monday that the players had shown good form in net practices.

“I’ve been very impressed with the professionalism and enthusiasm the players have shown in the nets,” he said. “If we can take that forward to the middle we’ll be very competitive.”

South African captain Graeme Smith, meanwhile, said he was fully recovered from a virus which led to doctors ordering him to rest following a recent one-day series against New Zealand.

“I started training about a week ago and I am feeling energised again,” he said.

The St George’s Park pitch is expected to offer some help to the fast bowlers and the West Indies appear to have reasonable ammunition to fire at South Africa’s batting.

Fidel Edwards, Jerome Taylor and Daren Powell have the ability to break through against a batting line-up which has not been wholly convincing, although South Africa have won three out of four Tests this season – one against Pakistan and two against New Zealand.

Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla both scored two centuries against New Zealand but the rest of the batsmen managed just one half-century between them.

Teams (from):

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