Barbados encounter
-national squad goes into camp from today in Berbice
GUYANA and West Indies middle order batsman Shivnarine ’Tiger’ Chanderpaul has recovered from the finger injury he sustained during the West Indies tour of Australia and is available for the Guyana/Barbados clash at the Albion Community Centre ground, Berbice which gets underway from Friday.

In an invited comment with Chronicle Sport last Wednesday following his return from Florida, Chanderpaul said that contrary to reports and some person’s belief, he always found it a joy to represent Guyana.

“I have always found it a pleasure to represent Guyana in any form of cricket, even though some persons may tend to believe otherwise.

At the moment, I can grip my bat having had a few sessions in the nets and consultations with my doctor and there were no signs of pain, but I had some concerns with fielding but thank God, I am ok in that area and once selected, willing to represent Guyana in the remainder of the tournament.”

The 35 year- old Chanderpaul who according to Cricinfo is the possessor of the crabbiest technique in world cricket, averages 48.70 from his 123 test matches where he has accumulated 8,669 runs with 21 centuries and 53 half centuries, including a highest score of 203 not out made against South Africa back in 2005.

In 248 first class matches, the resilient left handed middle order batsman who last played for Guyana in the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional limited overs tournament right here in Guyana last year, has accumulated 17,772 runs at an average of 53.85 with 51 centuries and 90 half centuries, inclusive of a highest score of 303 not out against Jamaica.

His inclusion in the middle- order of an already depleted batting attack that lacks the availability of appointed skipper Ramnaresh Sarwan (back injury) along with Narsingh Deonarine and Travis Dowlin (West Indies duties), would serve coach Ravindranauth Seeram and skipper Sewnarine Chattergoon a world of good.

The national team along with the standby players and Zaheer Mohammed who has been drafted into the squad following the unavailability of both Steven Jacobs and Dion Ferrier who are both playing in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), will be encamped in the Ancient County of Berbice from today.

With both Ferrier who is an original member of the 20 man squad that was in training late last year and Jacobs who was not selected, the three- man selection panel which is headed by Claude Raphael and includes national junior coach Hubern Evans and Seeram, has called up Demerara skipper and off-spinner Zaheer Mohammed.

Mohammed has been in ripping form for his club Enterprise Busta Sports Club in the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) nationwide three- day first division competition with both the bat and ball and should be an asset in both the lower order and spin departments, especially with the present struggle national spin twins Veerasammy Permaul and Devendra Bishoo are encountering.

Guyana is languishing at the bottom of the points table on seven points, four gained from a first innings win but outright loss in their last game against the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) and three from their drawn second round encounter played under the lights with pink balls against T&T.

They will be looking to use this game against Barbados who currently occupies the second place position, three points behind leaders and defending champions Jamaica who are on 36 points, to rebound and find themselves in the top four, seeing that their chances of copping the title has gone.

Following the loss against CCC which took place with a day to spare, Seeram called on his charges to exercise more patience while concentrating harder, but what is left to be seen is whether or not his words are heeded.

While the plans have not been finalised with regards to the teams’ training sessions and other cricket related activities leading up to the match, what is certain is that the full squad will be encamped in Berbice from today, with the final 13 for the match being selected on Thursday.

The full squad reads: Sewnarine Chattergoon (Captain), Rajendra Chandrika, Vishal Singh, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Assad Fudadin, Gajanand Singh, Christopher Barnwell, Royston Crandon, Derwin Christian, Esaun Crandon, Anthony Bramble, Brandon Bess, Veerasammy Permaul, Devendra Bishoo, Keon Joseph, Trevor Benn and Zaheer Mohammed.