The veteran Guyanese cricketer Shivnarine Chanderpaul apparently was not chosen to join the camp in Barbados in preparation for the Test Series against Australia starting Wednesday, June 3 in Dominica. Chanderpaul was not in the camp and indications were that he was not going to be in the squad for the first Test match.
President of the West Indies Cricket Board Dave Cameron and a few directors stepped in and over-rode the West Indies selection panel headed by former West Indies Captain Clive Lloyd. Thus clearing the way for Chanderpaul to be selected to play against Australia.
Chanderpaul played 167 Tests scoring 11, 867 runs at an average of 51 with 39 centuries. He failed miserably in South Africa and recently against England scoring 183 runs from his last 11 innings.
CHANDERPAUL HAS A GREAT RECORD
Chanderpaul performed exceedingly well against Australia in the Caribbean scoring 1,045 runs with five centuries at an average of 80.38. In his One-Day international career, he scored 8,778 runs with 11 centuries at an average of 41.60. His debut was against England in 1994.
Brian Lara has the most centuries in Test cricket by a West Indian and also the most runs. He has 34 Test hundreds and he has scored 11,953 runs.
SUPPORT FOR CLIVE LLOYD’S DECISION
Chanderpaul has contributed significantly to West Indies Cricket for 21 years, his services are highly acknowledged and respected. In anyone’s career in sports there is a time to acknowledge time served and leave with honor. When the authorities have to respectfully ask you to resign then as an individual after such a distinguished career one should do so with pride. His constant failures in two Test series were enough justification for the selectors to leave him out before WICB President Dave Cameron intervened and changed the decision of the selectors.
Chanderpaul should have been honored during the last Test match in Barbados against England when the series ended 1-1.
