Chanderpaul belts unbeaten 212 from 65 balls in Florida

By Avenash Ramzan
The Region’s most experienced batsman, Shivarine Chanderpaul, clobbered a brutal double hundred at the weekend to spur Sarasota International Cricket Club (SICC) to an emphatic 159-run win over Middlesex Cricket Club (MCC) in a feature 35-over game at Sarasota, Florida.
The left-handed former West Indies captain cracked a belligerent 212 not out from only 65 balls as SICC piled up 332-3 from the allotted overs. MCC folded for 173 in their turn at the crease.
Chanderpaul, a veteran of 137 Tests and 268 ODIs, was very severe on the bowlers, hammering 20 fours and 15 sixes – a staggering 170 of his runs coming in boundaries.
The knock followed another similar one he played late last year for SICC when he blasted a boundary-filled 168 in a T20 contest.
Nimir Thakkur (36), Chris Thakoorpersaud (33) and Virgil Gossai (33) supported Chanderpaul along the way. When MCC batted, their innings never got going, and it took E. Jacobs (40) and Alston Bacchus (22) to save them from total embarrassment.
Bowling for SICC, Bart Singh and L. Singh were the top bowlers with 3-30 and 3-35 respectively.
Chanderpaul has been in excellent form lately. Following a successful tour to India last November, the former world number one Test batsman enjoyed a decent run in the inaugural Bangladesh Premier League earlier this year, scoring 275 from 10 matches, including two half centuries.
Subsequently, he returned to represent Guyana in the ongoing West Indies Cricket Board Regional Four-Day competition, hitting an unbeaten 125 – his 61st First-Class century – against Barbados, and 80 against Trinidad and Tobago.
Speaking to this publication from Florida after the game at the weekend, Chanderpaul said the time spent in the middle, though relatively short, had helped him to gauge his readiness for Guyana’s semi-final game of the Four-Day tournament this weekend, but more importantly, gave him much confidence ahead of the Test series against the touring Australians.
By Avenash Ramzan
The Region’s most experienced batsman, Shivarine Chanderpaul, clobbered a brutal double hundred at the weekend to spur Sarasota International Cricket Club (SICC) to an emphatic 159-run win over Middlesex Cricket Club (MCC) in a feature 35-over game at Sarasota, Florida. The left-handed former West Indies captain cracked a belligerent 212 not out from only 65 balls as SICC piled up 332-3 from the allotted overs. MCC folded for 173 in their turn at the crease. Chanderpaul, a veteran of 137 Tests and 268 ODIs, was very severe on the bowlers, hammering 20 fours and 15 sixes – a staggering 170 of his runs coming in boundaries.The knock followed another similar one he played late last year for SICC when he blasted a boundary-filled 168 in a T20 contest. Nimir Thakkur (36), Chris Thakoorpersaud (33) and Virgil Gossai (33) supported Chanderpaul along the way. When MCC batted, their innings never got going, and it took E. Jacobs (40) and Alston Bacchus (22) to save them from total embarrassment.Bowling for SICC, Bart Singh and L. Singh were the top bowlers with 3-30 and 3-35 respectively. Chanderpaul has been in excellent form lately. Following a successful tour to India last November, the former world number one Test batsman enjoyed a decent run in the inaugural Bangladesh Premier League earlier this year, scoring 275 from 10 matches, including two half centuries. Subsequently, he returned to represent Guyana in the ongoing West Indies Cricket Board Regional Four-Day competition, hitting an unbeaten 125 – his 61st First-Class century – against Barbados, and 80 against Trinidad and Tobago. Speaking to this publication from Florida after the game at the weekend, Chanderpaul said the time spent in the middle, though relatively short, had helped him to gauge his readiness for Guyana’s semi-final game of the Four-Day tournament this weekend, but more importantly, gave him much confidence ahead of the Test series against the touring Australians.