Cricket: Windies batsmen show menace

By RICHARD BOOCK

TAUPO - West Indian cricketer Shivnarine Chanderpaul took another decisive step towards a successful return to the test arena yesterday when he stroked an unbeaten century against New Zealand A.

The 25-year-old left-hander has not played a test since January after missing the Australian series through injury, but demonstrated his worth on the first day of the three-day match with a patient 112 not out as the West Indies reached 266 for three at stumps.

Chanderpaul featured in an unbroken 111-run stand for the fourth wicket with the 19-year-old Ricardo Powell, who was unbeaten on 68 at the close after peppering the boundary hoardings 10 times, and clearing them comfortably on two occasions.

The West Indies would have been hoping for a strong start to their tour, particularly with the first test just 10 days away, and their batsmen certainly curbed their traditional instincts, with openers Adrian Griffith and Darren Ganga negotiating the first hour with extreme caution.

New Zealand A's only success in the opening session was when Billy Bowden adjudged Ganga run out after a snappy piece of fielding from Mathew Sinclair, and although offspinner Paul Wiseman - by far the second XI's best bowler yesterday - later removed Griffith and Wavell Hinds, it was a long day in the field for the hosts.

Chanderpaul was first selected to play for the West Indies as a 19-year-old and is seen as an important cog in their top-order, particularly in terms of his stability, patience and technique.

He has a test average of 42.05, but lost form on the ill-fated tour of South Africa earlier in the year, his double of 38 and 43 in the fifth test at Centurion boosting his series average to just 26.60.

The diminutive Guyanan was sidelined during the epic Frank Worrell Trophy series with Australia, and, while one his team's best batsmen at the World Cup, was in need of a long innings as he prepared to make his test comeback.

He grabbed his chance yesterday, batting for 291 minutes and facing 208 balls, while finding the boundary fence on 17 occasions. His 50 arrived in 93 minutes off 67 balls, and his century in 252 minutes off 175 balls.

Had he the time or a sufficient proportion of the strike, Powell would not have taken too long to overtake his partner on the scoreboard, as he was in a typically free-scoring mood against the slow and quick bowlers alike.

The Jamaican right-hander hit beautifully straight when the ball was up, and looked as if he lived for the cut and pull shot, several times depositing Chris Drum forward of square when New Zealand A took the second new ball late in the day.

Powell brought up his 50 in 99 minutes and off 82 balls, in the process making the early running for a possible test berth at No 6.

Wiseman's offspin aside, New Zealand A had little to cheer about in the field, with neither of the seamers fringing on the test side - Drum and Andrew Penn - able to further their claims.

If anything, Drum might have slipped a shade off the pace after a disappointing opening spell in which he repeatedly strayed down leg, while Penn was more accurate but lacked penetration.