– Tiger fully fit and ready to return to international cricket
By Avenash Ramzan
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
At a time when the West Indies’ batting is struggling to build winning totals, the Caribbean’s most experienced batsman, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, is churning out runs at will for Sarasota International Cricket Club (SICC) in the United States.
The veteran left- hander followed up his match-winning hundred for SICC against Everest last week with a robust 105 on Sunday against Titans — his third hundred in four innings since arriving in Florida.
His prolific form has come at a time when the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has seemingly terminated his services from the limited overs team; his last appearance was against Pakistan, where he top-scored in the ill-fated World Cup quarter-final match two months ago.
He was overlooked for the T20 and five- match ODI series against Pakistan in the Caribbean, and the T20 and first two ODIs of the current series against India.
Chanderpaul’s knock, which spanned a mere 74 deliveries and included 18 fours, propelled SICC to a mammoth 350-3 from the allotted 40 overs. The former West Indies captain added a double-century partnership with Chris Thakoorpersad, who slammed 104. Robbie Stevens also joined the runfest with 81.
In response, Titans folded for 153, with Clint Goodchild taking 2-8.
Chanderpaul, who missed the final Test against Pakistan last month due to a shoulder injury, is “fully fit and ready to play” international cricket. The former West Indies captain is in Florida spending time with his personal trainer David O’Meara, and is eager to get back into competitive action.
According to his website, www.onemilerunner.com, O’Meara “in spires older athletes (30+years old) to learn how to avoid injury, recover quicker, and develop functional strength.” The site further stated, “As you age, your body responds differently to intense exercise and ultimately alters the way you need to train, prepare and recover. David uses his personal experience as a coach, trainer and Masters’ runner to evaluate exercises, techniques and products to help you exceed your performance goals.”
Chanderpaul, who scored 27 and 36 not out — vital scores in a low-scoring first Test against Pakistan at Providence — was forced out of the second Test on the morning of the opening day after he was examined by the West Indies physiotherapist.
He was subsequently sent to a regional hospital in St Kitts, where he was examined by another doctor and X-rays were taken.
This publication understands that it was determined there was “no damage to the shoulder; it was just some soreness that required icing and rest.”
Chanderpaul then returned to Guyana, where he was “instructed by the WICB to visit Dr. Fawcett Jeffrey.” He did so on May 23 and “was given an all-clear by the doctor.”
The former world number one ranked Test batsman has since returned to Florida to spend time with O’Meara and pile on the runs for SICC.
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