Just doing my job

ST.  JOHN'S, ANTIGUA – West Indies batting mainstay Shivnarine Chanderpaul

who hit his nineteenth Test century – equalling Clive Lloyd as the most by a

Guyanese – said that in scoring runs he is merely doing his job.

"I'm just doing my job," was the typically sharp and pointed response from the

resolute left hander of few words when asked if he is getting used to the role of

being the anchor of the West Indies batting line up.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul sweeps Andrew Symonds to register his second hundred of the series (brooks la touche photography)

Chanderpaul, who has now scored 7795 Test runs during his 111-match career

at an average of 48.11, said that despite his record and reputation it is a major

challenge to score runs consistently against international teams especially the

number one team in the world in Australia.

"When you are coming up against the number one team in the world it is going

to be mentally and physically tough to go out there and fight," Chanderpaul told

journalists at the end of the fourth day's play of the Second Digicel Test, at the

Sir Vivian Richards Stadium when he scored an unbeaten 107 to top score in the

West Indies first innings score of 352 in response to Australia's 479 for 7

declared.

The 33-year-old who debuted as a fragile 19 year old in 1994 said that had the

three wickets which fell in quick succession to Brett Lee not gone down the West

Indies would have been in a far better position as he agreed that it was a critical

turning point in the game where Australia regained the advantage. The visitors

now lead by 371 runs with four wickets in hand after posting 244 for six by the

end of the fourth day.

"I think if we had batted on until tea it would have made a difference, we would

have taken down that lead a little less by probably another hundred if we batted

to tea," Chanderpaul said without acknowledging that the three decisions by ICC

Elite Panel umpire Russell Tiffin were all faulty.

Dwayne Bravo was adjudged caught behind when the ball deflected from his

thigh pad, Denesh Ramdin and Darren Sammy were both given out lbw when

both were struck outside the line of the off stump whilst playing a shot. The

West Indies were then all out on the stroke of lunch.

Chanderpaul's response to the umpiring blunders was nonchalant as he clearly

shying away from publicly commenting on how seriously they affected the West

Indies batting effort for fear of being officially reprimanded by the International

Cricket Council.

"That is how the game goes, you can't worry about what's gone," Chanderpaul

said.

He did however say that Lee bowled exceptionally well while picking up a five-

wicket match haul even if three of the wickets should not have been given out.

"He got the ball to swing both ways and was bowling pretty well so it wasn't

easy," Chanderpaul remarked.

"There was one he surprised me with, an inswinging yorker and I started to

open my eyes wide looking for everything," Chanderpaul said.

Moreover, when questioned about the prospect of another long day of facing Lee

and the Australian bowling attack in order to save the match Chanderpaul

pointed out that his teammates have the talent to do the job.

"We have enough talent in our team, hopefully the guys could just put it

together and show their true talents out there tomorrow and bat well and we

could all do well and save the game," Chanderpaul pointed out.

Chanderpaul acknowledged that it is going to be a tough task for the home side

to keep the series alive after Australia won the First Digicel Test in Jamaica to

lead the series 1-0.

"It's not going to be easy, it's going to be tough cricket, it depends how well we

go out and bat tomorrow, we've got to play it session by session," Chanderpaul

reasoned.  (COURTESY-: digicelcricket.com)