Chanderpaul leads Windies fight-back
An unbeaten century by the impenetrable Shivnarine Chanderpaul
rescued the West Indies from a disastrous start to the second cricket
Test against New Zealand here Friday.
At stumps the West Indies were 258 for six as Chanderpaul assisted by
Brendon Nash engineered a remarkable fightback after their top order had
crumbled to 63 for four on a flat, batsmen-friendly McLean Park wicket.
Overall, New Zealand could claim the honours of the day after losing
the toss and fighting back to take six wickets when the conditions were
against the bowlers. But the star of the show was undoubtedly
Chanderpaul, who lived up to his billing as the world cricketer of the
year as he and Nash staged a 163-run stand for the fifth wicket.
They came together just before lunch and remained at the crease until
five overs from the close of play before Nash’s gallant stand came to an
end. But Chanderpaul, in his 114th Test, remained rock-solid at the
other end as he ended the day unbeaten on 100, his 20th Test-century.
Jerome Taylor, who scored his maiden Test century in the drawn first
Test last week, was on one. Captain Chris Gayle had no hesitation in
batting first when he won the toss and the West Indies moved briskly to
43 before running into trouble.
Gayle was the first to fall, edging Iain O’Brien to wicketkeeper
Brendon McCullum, starting a slide that saw the West Indies lose four
wickets for 31 runs in 16 overs. With New Zealand in control in the
opening session, spectators had the rare sight of an off-spinner bowling
on the opening morning of a Test with two slips, a silly point and a
forward short leg.
New Zealand, (AFP) |
