Ton-up Chanderpaul to play on
by Cricket Archive Staff Reporter
DateLine: 20th November 2006
West Indian middle-order batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul said he would
be more focused and disciplined than ever as he played in his 100th
Test on Sunday.
"It is obviously a great achievement to actually make it to 100 Tests,
knowing how my career has been with a lot of injuries and lots of ups
and downs," said Chanderpaul, who reached the milestone in the second
Test against Pakistan at Multan. "You can't worry about what number it
is, you have to go out and play the game and play hard like always. One
hundred Test matches was a goal I had set myself in life. Hopefully I
can carry on and meet the other goals."
The 32-year-old Chanderpaul becomes the eighth West Indies player and
42nd in Test history to reach the milestone. "It is very satisfying and
I am happy to make it there. Yet the game is still a Test match and you
have to go out there and play, so your mind has to be focused and carry
on," said Chanderpaul, from Guyana.
Chanderpaul started his international career against England on his
home ground, Bourda in Georgetown, Guyana in 1994 and has since then
scored 6,617 Test runs with 14 Test centuries. He said he was overjoyed
when he made his debut. "I was called up to the squad and never thought
I was going to play the game so when I heard my name in the final
eleven to play that morning I was overjoyed and I was eager to make my
mark," he remembered.
Chanderpaul termed Pakistan's Wasim Akram and Australian Shane Warne as
the two most dangerous bowlers he had faced in his career. "Wasim was
difficult because of his ability to swing the ball and also to seam off
the wicket. Warne turns the ball a long way and he is one of those guys
who will work you out," said Chanderpaul who also led the West Indies
in 14 Tests and 16 one-day internationals before relinquishing the job
last year to concentrate more on his batting.
