Charles, Carter fifties keep West Indies alive

Johnson Charles and Jonathan Carter scored half centuries as West Indies kept alive their hopes of securing a World Cup quarter-finals berth with a six-wicket victory over United Arab Emirates at McLean Park in Napier on Sunday. West Indies had to win the game to give themselves a chance of qualifying for the knockout stages from Pool B and now await the outcome of the Ireland-Pakistan game in Adelaide. With heavy rain expected later on Sunday as Cyclone Pam tracks south from the Pacific islands, West Indies had to reach their victory target quickly and made 176 for four in 30.3 overs. That improved their net run rate to -0.042, which is currently better than both Ireland and Pakistan and could be a factor in determining fourth place in Pool B. The team that finishes fourth face New Zealand in Wellington in the quarter-finals. Charles hit eight boundaries and two sixes in his first 50 runs, which came off 34 balls, before he was dismissed for 55 trying to up the tempo even further. The left-handed Carter was more circumspect but still scored at almost a run a ball before he achieved his maiden half century and finished on 50 not out as he and Denesh Ramdin (33) saw their team home with an unbroken 58-run partnership. West Indies captain Jason Holder and his new ball partner Jerome Taylor had earlier laid the platform for the victory as they ripped through UAE's batting lineup. Holder took four wickets, while Taylor chipped in with two of his three in a spell in which they reduced UAE to 46-6 before Amjad Javed and Nasir Aziz combined for a 107-run partnership that gave their score some credibility. Holder had Andri Berenger (seven) and Krishan Chandran (nought) caught behind the wicket then trapped Amjad Ali lbw for five to leave UAE in deep trouble at 17-3 in the sixth over. Taylor then produced two beautiful swinging deliveries to bowl Khurram Khan (five) and Shaiman Anwar (two) as the associate nation slumped to 26-5. Swapnil Patil and Amjad Javed stopped the rot before Holder took his fourth wicket when he bowled Patil for six. Javed (56) and Aziz (60), however, then frustrated the West Indies bowlers by scoring maiden half centuries as UAE were eventually dismissed for 175 in 47.4 overs. UAE innings West Indies captain Jason Holder and his new ball partner Jerome Taylor did all they could to ensure their side kept their World Cup quarter-finals chances alive as they dismissed United Arab Emirates for 175 at McLean Park in Napier on Sunday. Holder took four wickets, while Taylor chipped in with two of his three in a spell in which they reduced UAE to 46 for six before Amjad Javed and Nasir Aziz combined for a 107-run partnership that gave their score some credibility. Holder, who had won the toss and chosen to field, ripped the top off UAE's batting as he had Andri Berenger (seven) and Krishan Chandran (nought) caught behind the wicket then trapped Amjad Ali lbw for five to leave UAE in deep trouble at 17 for three in the sixth over. Taylor then produced two beautiful swinging deliveries to bowl Khurram Khan (five) and Shaiman Anwar (two) as the associate nation slumped to 26 for five. Swapnil Patil and Amjad Javed stopped the rot before Holder took his fourth wicket when he bowled Patil for six. Javed (56) and Aziz (60), however, then frustrated the West Indies bowlers by scoring maiden half centuries which produced a noticeable drop in intensity from the fielders. West Indies will need to chase the score without opening batsman Chris Gayle, who was ruled out before the toss with a back injury. Preview The West Indies will be looking to dispose of the United Arab Emirates in swift fashion on Sunday, captain Jason Holder said as a looming storm threatened their World Cup play-off chances. The West Indies must beat the amateurs to make the quarter-finals, but it will be an early flight home if they lose, or if approaching Cyclone Pam forces the game to be abandoned. "It's a must-win game for us. Obviously if the weather plays a part, it's beyond our control, but we just need to control what we can control, and that's the game," Holder said Saturday. Follow us on Twitter @E247Sports for exclusive coverage of all the action from Down Under "If we can wrap it up as quickly as possible, that's a plus for us." The West Indies go into the match two points behind Pakistan and Ireland with all three sides in contention for the remaining two quarter-final spots from Pool B behind India and South Africa. A win to the West Indies should put them into the play offs with a superior run rate over the loser of the Pakistan-Ireland match to be played later Sunday in Adelaide. Holder was also not shy in outlining their plans for UAE who struggled against a barrage of short deliveries when they faced South Africa's battery of quicks. "Obviously they seem to not like the aggressive stuff, so it's in our nature to be aggressive and we just need to be aggressive and play aggressive cricket." With rain forecast late in t