West Indies Cricket Players
Brian
Lara |
Chris Gayle |
Corey Collymore |
Denesh
Ramdin |
Devon Smith
|
Dwayne Bravo |
Dwayne
Smith |
Jermaine Lawson
|
Marlon Samuels |
Omari
Banks |
Ramnaresh Sarwan
|
Ricardo Powell |
Shiv
Chanderpaul |
Wavell Hinds
|
Joel Garner |
Andy
Roberts |
Cameron Cuffy
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
The possessor of the crabbiest technique in world cricket, Shivnarine Chanderpaul proves there is life beyond the coaching handbook. He never seems to play in the V, or off the front foot, but uses soft hands, canny deflections, and a whiplash pull-shot to maintain a Test average close to 40. In cricket terms, Chanderpaul has had two main problems: first, a low conversion rate of around one hundred to every ten fifties, and secondly, his physical frailty, widely thought to be hypochondria. That myth was exploded when a large piece of floating bone was removed from his foot late in 2000, and, suitably liberated, he set about rectifying his hundreds problem, scoring three in four Tests against India in 2001-02, and two more in the home series against Australia the following year, including 104 as West Indies successfully chased a world-record 418 for victory in the final Test in Antigua. A good run in South Africa in 2003-04 preceded a tough one with England - only his second lean trot in a decade of international cricket. But like in the good ol' days, he rediscovered form on the tour to England, and though his batting did not change the team's fortunes, it lessened the margins of defeat greatly. However, in the Champions Trophy that followed, he contributed to the victory greatly with a consistent performance. The following year he was appointed West Indian captain during an acrimonious contracts dispute, and celebrated with a double-century in front of his home fans in Guyana, although he was too passive in the field to prevent South Africa taking the series. Displaying a rare streak of violence, he once managed to shoot a policeman in the hand in his native Guyana, mistaking him for a mugger.
