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Opener Lendl Simmons scored an unbeaten 67 off just 44 balls to guide Guyana Amazon Warriors to a comfortable eight-wicket win over Jamaica Tallawahs at the Providence Stadium

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Aug-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsLendl Simmons guided the chase•Getty ImagesOpener Lendl Simmons scored an unbeaten 67 off just 44 balls to guide Guyana Amazon Warriors to a comfortable eight-wicket win over Jamaica Tallawahs at the Providence Stadium. The win was Guyana’s second in as many games, and took them to the top of the table ahead of the Barbados Tridents on net run-rate.Simmons, the Man of the Match, struck five fours and four sixes, and put up an unbeaten 60-run stand for the third wicket with Ramnaresh Sarwan, to chase down a modest 118 inside 15 overs.Jamaica, put in to bat, got off to a slow start as Ahmed Shehzad was caught at long-off by Chris Barnwell off seamer Krishmar Santokie off the last ball of the fourth over, and off the very next delivery, Chris Gayle fell short of his crease trying to sneak an unlikely second run.James Franklin had an expensive night and conceded 38 runs in his four overs, but all other bowlers were economical, and bowled out Jamaica for just 117. Santokie stood out with figures of 3 for 20, including the wicket of Carlton Baugh, who top scored for the visitors with 32.Guyana, needing less than six an over, were comfortable throughout the run-chase as Simmons and Martin Guptill added 48 for the opening wicket. Muttiah Muralitharan dismissed Guptill and Mohammad Hafeez in quick succession, but Sarwan, coming in at No. 4, steadied the innings with a 19-ball 24 to take Guyana home with 33 balls remaining.

Pune Warriors have suffered a setback with West Indian batsman Marlon Samuels returning to Jamaica to recover from a groin strain

Nagraj Gollapudi26-Apr-2013Pune Warriors have suffered a setback with West Indian batsman Marlon Samuels returning to Jamaica to recover from a groin strain and to be with his mother, who broke her knee. Samuels is likely to miss the rest of Warriors’ IPL campaign, with the franchise languishing near the bottom of the league.Samuels, one of five Cricketers of the Year announced earlier this month, played only two matches, scoring eight runs and taking one wicket. He remained with Warriors for a while but the groin injury failed to improve, so Samuels requested the management to release him so that he could be with his mother in hospital.”The groin injury was taking time to heal, but after he received news about his mom having her knee plate fractured, he became restless and asked if he could head back home,” Abhijit Sarkar, Warriors’ spokesperson, told ESPNcricinfo. He confirmed the franchise would not seek a replacement for Samuels. According to Sarkar, Samuels could return if he recovered from injury and Warriors made the knockouts.After returning from a two-year ICC ban, Samuels’ resurgence was dramatic: he was West Indies’ best batsman on the tour of England in 2012. He was the Man of the Match in the 2012 World Twenty20 final, which West Indies won, and had come to the IPL after recovering from a facial injury suffered during the Big Bash.Samuels’ absence added to Warriors’ problems this IPL season. They have lost their last three matches – Chris Gayle demoralised them by smashing Twenty20 records in Bangalore – and have only two wins after eight games. Warriors are currently above last-placed Delhi Daredevils, their next opponent at the IPL’s newest venue – Raipur – on Sunday.

New Zealand are on course for an historic series victory against England after dominating the fourth day of the final Test in Auckland

The Report by George Dobell24-Mar-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsPeter Fulton cut loose as New Zealand’s lead grew•Getty ImagesNew Zealand are on course for an historic series victory against England after dominating the fourth day of the final Test in Auckland. Peter Fulton’s second century of the match took New Zealand out of reach, but it was the bowlers who hammered nails into the coffin of England’s hopes to salvage a draw. England will resume on the final day with just six wickets in hand and all three of their most obdurate batsmen gone.Fulton, who came into the game having not scored a century in a Test career that began in 2006, pulverised the England attack on the fourth day in a devastating partnership with his captain, Brendon McCullum, that did not so much close the door on England’s hopes as slam it in their faces.Fulton’s heroics have earned New Zealand an outstanding opportunity to claim just the second home series win in their history against England. The first was in 1983-84. New Zealand have not won a series against any of the top eight Test nations – nations other than Bangladesh or Zimbabwe – since they defeated West Indies in 2006.Here they set England 481 to win the third Test and, with it, the series. New Zealand finally declared on 241 for 6 in their second innings having plundered runs with ease against a dispirited attack.The manner with which Fulton brought up his second century of the match – a straight six thumped back over the head of Stuart Broad – spoke volumes for the balance of power in this encounter: New Zealand, roundly dismissed as no-hopers before the series, established dominance over an England team that arrived in the country full of confidence, having just beaten India in India.New Zealand, resuming 274 ahead at the start of play on the fourth day, extended their advantage by another 206 runs in just 34.2 overs. Fulton, batting with more confidence than at any time in his Test career following his maiden century in the first innings, drove powerfully through mid-on and three times took a step or two down the pitch to thump Monty Panesar for six back over the bowler’s head. As his confidence grew, he gave himself room to drive Anderson over extra cover for six more.He became one of just four New Zealand players to have scored one in each innings of the same Test. Glenn Turner (against Australia in 1973-74), Geoff Howarth (against England in 1977-78) and Andrew Jones (against Sri Lanka in 1991) are the others to have done so.Smart stats

Peter Fulton became the fourth New Zealand batsman to score a century in each innings of a Test, and the first since Andrew Jones against Sri Lanka 22 years ago.

Fulton is only the second New Zealand opener to achieve this feat, after Glenn Turner in 1974.Overall, there are 26 instances of opening batsmen scoring hundreds in each innings of a Test.

Fulton became the first New Zealand batsman to play more than 500 deliveries in a Test match since Mark Richardson in 2004. Richardson played 575 balls to score 194 runs at Lord’s against England.

The most overs ever played by England in the fourth innings of a Test against New Zealand is 146.4, in Christchurch in 1997. England, chasing a target of 305 in that match, won by four wickets.

Brendon McCullum’s 53-ball unbeaten 67 is the tenth-quickest 50-plus score by a New Zealand batsman in Tests. Six of those top ten innings have come against England.

The fifth-wicket partnership of 117 between Fulton and McCullum came off 101 balls. The run-rate of 6.95 per over is the second-fastest ever in Tests for a century stand for New Zealand.

His fifth-wicket partnership with his captain, Brendon McCullum, was worth 117 runs, scored in just 16.5 overs, as New Zealand progressed with an ease that made a mockery of the gap between these two teams in the Test rankings.Fulton enjoyed one moment of fortune. When he had 31, he mistimed his attempted on drive off Stuart Broad but saw James Anderson, at a shortish midwicket, spill a sharp but far from impossible chance. New Zealand would have been 65 for 4 had it been taken.England produced an oddly diffident performance in the field. Their attempt to pitch the ball fuller in search of swing that remained elusive too often resulted in over-pitched deliveries that Fulton drove through mid-on. At other times the England bowlers drifted on to Fulton’s legs, allowing him to pick up runs with an ease that defined the match situation.The introduction of Panesar brought some relief for England. His third delivery induced Dean Brownlie to attempt to clear the field. Ian Bell, running back from mid-on, made a desperately tough chance appear straightforward.But that only brought McCullum to the crease. He square drove his first delivery, a wide, over-pitched ball from Steven Finn, to the point boundary and soon pulled Anderson, looking more jaded by the moment, and Finn for sixes.Panesar bore the brunt of the assault, though, His attempt to stem the flow by bowling over the wicket and into the rough outside the right-handers’ leg stumpwas negated when McCullum took him for successive boundaries, a powerful pull followed by a precise sweep, and drove him for another six. Panesar conceded52 in five overs at one point. It was brutal batting.Whatever Alastair Cook envisaged when he won the toss and inserted New Zealand on the first day, it was surely not a situation where his side had to bat for four-and-a-half sessions to save the game. There were no realistic hopes of victory: England have never chased more than the 332 they made against Australia in Melbourne in 1928-29 to win a Test and no team has ever made more than the 418 West Indies made against Australia in Antigua in 2002-03. The highest successful chase on this ground is 348, made by West Indies in 1968-69, though since the introduction of drop-in pitches just over a decade ago, no side has managed more than the 166 scored, admittedly for the loss of just one wicket, in 2005.Nor is this the England team that enjoyed such success a couple of years ago. Not only is there no Kevin Pietersen, but there are fewer lower-order allrounders such as Graeme Swann or Tim Bresnan. Two of the middle-order, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow, came into this game with only eight Test caps between them and the days when Stuart Broad could be considered an allrounder seem long ago.Tim Southee soon made inroads into England’s second innings. Nick Compton, feeling for a fine delivery that pitched on off stump and left him, edged a catch behind the stumps before Jonathan Trott squandered his display of resistance by chasing a wide one from the impressively sharp Neil Wagner, bowling left-arm around the wicket.But the hammer blow was inflicted by part-time off-spinner Kane Williamson. Cook, on one, had survived a chance to BJ Watling when he felt for one angled across him from Southee. But when he edged a drive off Williamson, Brownlie, very close in at gully, clung on to a very sharp chance.With Finn, the nightwatchman, also falling to an outstanding close catch before the close, New Zealand were on the brink of a memorable success. It meant that a series that started with many England supporters presuming an easy victory looks set to finish with their team engaged in a desperate – and surely vain – struggle to salvage a draw.

Derbyshire have pulled off a coup by signing the world No. 2 Test batsman, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, on a two-year contract.

George Dobell08-Jan-2013Derbyshire have pulled off a coup by signing the world No. 2 Test batsman, Shivnarine Chanderpaul.Shivnarine Chanderpaul will join his fourth county in 2013•Associated PressHe has signed a two-year contract, with Derbyshire retaining first-option for a third season. Chanderpaul, 38, will be available for all formats in 2013.Regarded as one of the weaker first-class counties for several years, Derbyshire have enjoyed a resurgence in recent times and were promoted to Division One of the County Championship for the first time in 12 years as champions of Division Two last season after the longest stint of any county in the bottom division.The signing of Chanderpaul underlines the new ambition of the club. Chris Grant, the club chairman appointed in March 2011, swiftly demonstrated his desire to shake things up at the club by sacking John Morris, the long-serving director of cricket, in the middle of a game barely six weeks later. Karl Krikken was appointed in his place and led the side to promotion in his first full season in charge.”I hope this sends a message to our members and supporters that we mean business ahead of the 2013 season,” Grant said. “The fact that Derbyshire are able to attract someone of his calibre is an indication of our ambition and the esteem in which the club is now held in the cricketing world.”Krikken added: “Shivnarine has been one of the standout players on the world stage for a long time. He knows what it takes to be successful and, as well as his outstanding ability with the bat, there is no doubt Shivnarine will have a hugely positive effect on our talented young squad as we embark on the challenge of Division One cricket.”Chanderpaul said he was excited to be joining an ambitious club and was impressed with Krikken’s vision for the team. He will add solidity to a batting line-up that sometimes appeared fragile in 2012. Derbyshire gained more bowling bonus points than any other side in Division Two but finished only mid-table in terms of batting bonus points.While the club have a strong unit of seamers, several of their “home grown” young batsmen – the likes of Ross Whiteley and Dan Redfern – are still developing and it was the overseas players, Martin Guptill and Usman Khawaja, who topped the county’s batting averages in 2012.Derbyshire have already added former Essex and Middlesex top-order batsman Billy Godleman and former Warwickshire wicketkeeper Richard Johnson to their staff. Godleman is the latest county player to seek the services of freelance coach and mentor, Neil Burns, who has been credited by Nick Compton and Monty Panesar as the man to have revitalised their careers.Chanderpaul has enjoyed sustained success in his previous stints in county cricket. In 2011 he played for Warwickshire, scoring three centuries and averaging 89.83 in five matches to help the club finish second in the County Championship, and he has had three spells at Durham, helping them to titles in 2008 and 2009 and averaging 58.26 for them in first-class cricket. He also played for Lancashire in 2010.*This story was updated when Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s deal was confirmed

Barisal Burners came out on top in the battle to avoid the bottom spot in the league, thanks to Azhar Mahmood’s all-round performance

The Report by Mohammad Isam04-Feb-2013
ScorecardBarisal Burners came out on top in the battle to avoid the bottom spot in the league, thanks to Azhar Mahmood’s all-round performance. They crushed Khulna Royal Bengals by seven wickets to remain in contention for a top-four finish, while the Royal Bengals are more or less out of the race.The Burners captain Brad Hodge made it an easy passage for his team. His 63 off47 balls led the chase of 145. Hodge hit six fours and two sixes over long-on, using the pace of the bowlers whenever it was offered on a slow wicket, but mostly worked the angles to collect singles.He added 93 for the third wicket with Azhar Mahmood, who was unbeaten on a 33-ball 52 with seven boundaries and a six. The experienced pair sensibly played out the dangerous Shapoor Zadran before attacking the rest of the bowlers, who looked insipid at most times. Hodge and Mahmood batted at more than 10 an over, making sure the target was reached in 17.5 overs.Mahmood had success with the ball too, taking 3 for 23 to keep the Royal Bengals to a sub-150 score. After bowling tightly with the new ball, he picked up three wickets in his last two overs, including the top-scorer Shahriar Nafees. The three-wicket burst stifled the Royal Bengals in the final few overs.Nafees had made 66 off 50 balls with nine boundaries, but never got support after Nazimuddin fell in the ninth over. Before his dismissal, Nazimuddin had blasted two boundaries and two sixes in his 30-ball 33, but after the opening partnership was broken, their foreign batsmen in the middle-order failed. Once Travis Birt, Daniel Harris and Riki Wessels were removed, the lower order hardly made an impression.Apart from Mahmood, Alok Kapali and newcomer Farveez Maharoof took two wickets each.

Australia have retained the Women’s World T20 trophy with a 4-run win over England in Colombo

The Report by George Dobell07-Oct-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentaryJess Cameron’s score of 45 from 34 deliveries was Australia’s highest of the tournament•Associated PressAustralia have retained the Women’s World T20 trophy with a 4-run win over England in Colombo. Australia, who won the 2010 tournament in the Caribbean, impressed with the bat, with the ball and in the field to inflict just England’s second defeat in their previous 25 completed T20 internationals.While England’s record over the last 18 months or so has been excellent, they looked nervous in this game. Australia were on top throughout. Having set a challenging total, they bowled with discipline and just about held their nerve as England, as their run chase became increasingly desperate, fell to a series of catches in the deep.Perhaps England might still have stolen a win in the end. Australia, with their nerves becoming more apparent by the moment, put down four catches of varying difficulty in the final few overs – Blackwell’s dropping of Arran Brindle the most memorable of them – and with Erin Osborne donating a head-high full-toss for a no-ball in the final over – England could have won had Danielle Hazel hit the final ball for six. She could only mis-time it to midwicket, however, allowing Australia’s women to clinch the trophy.In truth, England had done well to go so close. They had been behind the rate throughout their innings and, but for some bucolic hitting from Jenny Gunn in the dying overs, the margin would have been much greater. Gunn, thumping a four and a six off Julie Hunter, had reduced the equation from 35 required from three to 16 from the final over and, despite Osborne’s no-ball and Jess Jonassen dropping a simple catch, England had always left themselves too much to do.England may also reflect that their decision to insert Australia after winning the toss backfired. While England have an excellent record batting second, by giving Australia first use of a fine batting surface, they allowed them to build a commanding total and then succumbed to the pressure of chasing against a disciplined attack and tight fielding unit. Only three times in their 63 match T20 history had they successfully chased more than 142 to win and, on the biggest stage, it proved beyond them. England will surely also rue the eight wides and no-ball they sent down. Bearing in mind the eventual margin of victory, those extra were to prove costly.Smart stats

Australia won their second consecutive Women’s World Twenty20. In the previous final in 2010, Australia defeated New Zealand by three runs.

The margin of victory (4 runs) is the second-lowest for Australia (in terms of runs) in the Women’s World Twenty20. It is also their narrowest margin of victory against England in Women’s Twenty20 internationals.

Australia’s total of 142 is their third-highest against England in the Women’s World Twenty20. In their group game earlier in the tournament, Australia had scored 144 and lost by seven wickets.

Jess Cameron’s strike rate of 132.35 during her 45 is the highest strike rate for Australia in a Women’s World Twenty20 game against England and the fifth-highest for Australia in the competition (40-plus scores).

The 51-run stand between Meg Lanning and Alyssa Healy is the third-highest opening partnership for Australia in the Women’s World Twenty20 and their second-best in this year’s tournament.

Anya Shrubsole’s economy rate of 10.33 is the highest for an England bowler in a Women’s World Twenty20 game (min 3 overs bowled).

Australia’s opening batsmen set the tone with a partnership of 51 in 41 deliveries. Meg Lanning, taking advantage of some uncharacteristic loose bowling from Katherine Brunt, took 16 from the third over of the innings. Twice she drove Brunt – who also donated a front foot no-ball during the over – through the cover for boundaries, while Alyssa Healy pulled another boundary though square leg. With England’s spinners unable to stem the flow of runs, Australia reached 47 for 0 after their six Powerplay overs.The introduction of Holly Colvin’s left-arm spin brought the breakthrough. Lanning, attempting to hit over the top, could only clip a return catch to the bowler while Laura Marsh, the fourth spinner introduced into the attack by the eighth over of the innings, might have had Healey caught at deep-square leg but the pull dropped just short of Shurbsole. At the halfway stage of their innings, Australia were 68 for 1.Jess Cameron was soon into her stride. Having swept Marsh to the boundary, she then skipped down the pitch to drive her for another. While Healey was bowled after missing an attempted pull, Cameron, whose innings of 45 from 34 deliveries was Australia’s highest of the tournament, brought up the 100 with a very well executed reverse sweep for four off Marsh, before slog-sweeping Shurbsole for six, then ramping and pulling her for fours in an over that cost 17.While Colvin, the pick of the bowlers, had Cameron taken at long-on, Alex Blackwell swept another four off Wyatt and, in partnership with Lisa Sthalekar, picked up the ones and twos as Australia set a challenging total of 142.England were always behind the rate in their chase. While they picked up a boundary in each of the first four overs, they were unable to accumulate any singles and Marsh, frustrated by the escalating required run rate, perished when she mis-timed a drive and gave a return catch to the bowler.Charlotte Edwards looked in fine form, though. Having hit the first ball of the innings for four, she clipped another over midwicket when Perry drifted on to her legs and greeted the introduction of the offspin of Osborne by taking two steps down the pitch and lofting the bowler over long-on for six. Two balls later, she lofted four more over the head of the same bowler and, after their six Powerplay overs, England were 34 for 1.The end of the Powerplay resulted in the field spreading, however, and Edwards’ attempt to hit Sthalekar’s teasing off-breaks over the top resulted in a catch to long-on. Ellyse Perry produced an outswinger to account for the dangerous Sarah Taylor, edging an attempted drive, and with Lydia Greenway also falling to a catch in the deep and Danny Wyatt brilliantly caught at cover by a diving Blackwell, England were always behind the game.

Somerset’s Brian Rose said it was “frustrating” to lose star batsman Nick Compton to England Lions for a key Champions clash

Alex Winter at Taunton07-Aug-2012
ScorecardThe man who wasn’t there: Nick Compton in action for England Lions, rather than Somerset•Getty ImagesThe County Championship has been marginalised by many things this summer, not least the weather, with the “reserve Ashes” between England Lions and Australia A at Old Trafford the latest event to take the limelight away from the competition just as it moves towards the business end.Two of the best sides in England are at Taunton in a crucial match that could have significant impact on the title. But country before club has long been the emphasis in English cricket and clearly the ECB sees more value in the second-best players in the land playing an unofficial Test than helping their counties try to win the Championship.Somerset are most disadvantaged. Nick Compton has made 1,036 Championship runs at 86.33 this season – outperforming by a distance every other player – and helped Somerset maintain their push for a first title. But with such a historic milestone within reach, England have put their needs above Somerset’s.”We’re where we are in the table mainly because Nick Compton has played so well in adverse conditions,” Brian Rose, Somerset’s director of cricket, told ESPNcricinfo. “It’s frustrating to get towards the end of the season and have a clash of fixtures. It’s coming to a crucial time in the Championship, we’re just a win behind the two leaders and if we have a good game here it will set up an exciting time for the club.”But I’m a great supporter of England Lions games because it’s a precursor to Test cricket. Nick deserves to play and all credit to him, he’s played tremendously well. Don’t forget you put so much into development you want players to play for England, that’s part of our job to get players into the England team so there’s no way Somerset or Nottinghamshire are going to be complaining about that.”So perhaps the counties are now more inclined to measure success by their contribution to the England team than to their trophy cabinets? Maybe that can be understood given the level of financial support now offered by the ECB to promote young players in the county game. But an entire west country XI for England could not usurp a first Championship title for Somerset.Victory for them here would see Somerset join Warwickshire, Nottinghamshire and Sussex on four wins but Rose was philosophical about the impact of losing players to the Lions. “At the end of the day, the sides that are going to win the Championship are going to be good enough to stay at the top,” he said. “The weather has been the biggest factor this year, which has compressed the competition, but I think at the end of the day the best team should still win it.”Weather certainly owned day one. All credit was due to the umpires for refusing to call off play with showers falling in the early afternoon. The weather cleared long enough for Somerset to win the toss and ask Notts to bat at 4.40pm. But eight overs in and the heavens gathered again. One more ball was possible and Peter Trego found the outside edge of Riki Wessels’ bat. It was entirely expected on a very green wicket that offered plenty to Trego and Steve Kirby.So far in this match, it hasn’t particularly mattered who is playing. “Swings and roundabouts” was Rose’s summing up of the situation. Notts are without Samit Patel – 329 runs and 14 wickets in nine matches this season – and would have been without James Taylor too had he not earned a last-minute call-up for the second Test at Headingley. Somerset are also missing wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter. Jos Buttler is behind the stumps in this match.”I’ve mentioned to the ECB that these fixtures don’t clash so players can play at both ends,” Rose said, who was keen on the idea of a window for Lions’ games if space could be found. “The best thing if you’re coming towards the end of the Championship would be to have the fixture list represented in a slightly better fashion. But it all depends on future tours and how the Championship and T20s are composed as well. The authorities are looking at it.”

Ed Cowan ensured Tasmania would take first-innings points on the second day at Bellerive Oval, where his 82 steered the Tigers past Queensland’s 205 late in the afternoon

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Feb-2012
ScorecardEd Cowan made 82 for Tasmania•Getty ImagesEd Cowan ensured Tasmania would take first-innings points on the second day at Bellerive Oval, where his 82 steered the Tigers past Queensland’s 205 late in the afternoon. But Cowan fell shortly before stumps and at the close of play Tasmania were 5 for 221, leading by 16 runs and relying on Matt Johnston, who was on 3, and Luke Butterworth, who had made 9.Cowan was caught at cover off Ben Cutting, who collected 2 for 57, and it gave the Bulls a sniff having not long ago removed Mark Cosgrove, who was run out for 67. Cosgrove and Cowan had compiled a 95-run partnership after the loss of the captain George Bailey, who was bowled by Matthew Gale for 27 off 30 balls.Bailey needed to bat early in the day for he was due to fly out in the afternoon to join Australia’s one-day squad in Brisbane ahead of Sunday’s ODI against India. In the morning, Queensland had added only 10 to their overnight total as Jackson Bird (6 for 62) claimed the final wicket, Alister McDermott lbw for 13, with Cutting left unbeaten on 79.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul has become the 10th batsman and the second West Indian to pass 10,000 runs in Test matches, reaching the mark on the fourth day of the third Test against Australia at Windsor Park in Dominica

Daniel Brettig at Windsor Park26-Apr-2012Shivnarine Chanderpaul has become the 10th batsman and the second West Indian to pass 10,000 runs in Test matches, reaching the mark on the fourth day of the third Test against Australia at Windsor Park in Dominica.In keeping with much of his career, Chanderpaul passed 10,000 in the midst of a desperate Caribbean fight in the fourth innings to stave off defeat at the hands of the Australians on a deteriorating pitch, moving forward from his inimitable stance to push a delivery from Michael Clarke wide of mid-on and go to 14 for his innings.After the day’s play, Chanderpaul said getting past the milestone was a target he had set himself. “I have been batting well and spending a lot of time at the crease, and to reach 10,000 Test runs is something special for me. It was one of the goals I set myself and I believe I have reaped for reward for the hard work I put in over the years.”When I go to bat, I know I have a job to do for the team and the people of the West Indies. Test cricket is the ultimate form of the game and this is where you want to perform and give your best. I will keep striving for more.”Chanderpaul reached the milestone in his 140th Test, emulating Brian Lara’s feat of also passing 10,000 for the West Indies. He was congratulated warmly by the Roseau crowd and also by Australia’s fielders, who all applauded once the single was taken. The 10,000th run also served to take his Test match batting average back above 50.Earlier in the series Chanderpaul had surpassed Lara as the highest run-scorer of all West Indian batsmen at Kensington Oval in Barbados, and said at the time that he had always taken particular satisfaction from runs made against Australia, as they are always hard-earned.”Always a tough, tough opposition and you always have to fight and it is always well to do good against them,” he said. “There are always things at the back of your mind because you always want to do well.”Against an opposition like Australia if you’re doing well against them you know the world is watching. When you go against them you have to bring your A game. You can’t just walk out and decide that you can play anyhow against them. You have to step up.”At 37, Chanderpaul has witnessed many barren years in West Indies cricket, but has expressed optimism that the team is showing signs of significant improvement under the captaincy of Darren Sammy and the coaching of Ottis Gibson. This has encouraged him to prolong his career, having debuted against England in his home country of Guyana in March 1994.”We all can see it, the guys are getting better, the younger players are coming through,” Chanderpaul had said in Barbados. “That’s what we’ve been aiming for over the years, you want to see the younger players come through. Now we’re seeing it and that’s the future, we have to plan that way.”Chanderpaul is doing his best to support this development with his bat, again leading the averages and aggregates against Australia. Their coach Mickey Arthur offered generous praise to a batsman he had first seen on the 1998-99 West Indies tour of South Africa.”Shiv’s been outstanding all series. He’s been quite brilliant really. He’s certainly thwarted our bowlers. He’s shown why he’s got 10,000 runs in Test cricket,” Arthur said. “Very uncomplicated technique even though it looks very weird on the eye. He’s been outstanding – to get him right at the end of the day has just lifted our dressing room hugely.”I first saw him when he was very young. He toured South Africa and he looked a very, very good player then. In my last series that I had with South Africa as coach against the West Indies I think Shiv got a hundred in every first innings so he was well on track. In this series he got a hundred in Barbados, 94 in Trinidad and runs again here. I’ve just seen so much of him and can’t help but admire the application and the desire to keep scoring runs. You’ve got to marvel at that – a fantastic achievement.”

Andre Russell and Shawn Findlay have said that a lack of unity in the Jamaica team cost them the Caribbean T20 final against Trinidad & Tobago

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jan-2012Andre Russell and Shawn Findlay have said that a lack of unity in the Jamaica team cost them the Caribbean T20 final against Trinidad & Tobago. Russell, the West Indies fast-bowling allrounder, said the players did not behave professionally because they were playing as individuals rather than as a team.”As a team it is about sticking together and we are kind of lacking in that department at the moment,” Russell told the . “It’s not professional for players to go on the field and some are doing one thing and some are doing another. We need to work together more as a team and if we can do that then just like how we win the other tournaments we can win the T20 as well.”Jamaica are the current champions in West Indies’ first-class and domestic 50-over competitions, and beat T&T easily in the Regional Super50 tournament final in October 2011; but they were thrashed by the same team in the Caribbean T20 final, which also cost them a place in the lucrative Champions League T20. Findlay, the Jamaica batsman, said the reversal in fortunes was due to division in the team.”The team spirit was not the best,” Findlay said. “Some of the players were not pulling for each other as we wanted it to be. We are not unified as we should be. On match days you tend to have one set of players pulling to one side and the others to a next. You’re never going to win a tournament like that.”When we won the Super50 tournament everybody was gelling together. We know we can win Twenty20 tournaments if we get to gel, as it is the gelling and chemistry that teams like Trinidad have over us.”David Bernard, the Jamaica captain, was less scathing of the team and said what was needed was more practice playing Twenty20 cricket. “A better preparation period, including the playing of more Twenty20 competitions and matches going into the next tournament, will go a long way towards helping us to get better,” Bernard said. “But to do this more resources are needed and one can only hope that the Jamaican Cricket Association can get the support from corporate Jamaica to do this going forward.”