West Indies Cricket Fans

Nice tribute to Shiv in the link---Paying A Poetic Tribute To West Indies Shivnarine Chanderpaul


Test cricket's most defeated player, super Shiv, is also one of its most indefatigable.

Among the innumerable records set by the incomparable Lara was one he will not be particularly proud of – when he retired, he had lost more Test matches than any other player in history. He has since been knocked off bottom spot by another member of Breeze's "young generation", Shiv Chanderpaul.

Test cricket's most defeated cricketer is also one of its most indefatigable. Chanderpaul has won more caps than any other West Indian, and only two batsmen in history, Allan Border and Rahul Dravid, have scored more runs at a lower strike rate.

He(Super Shiv) succinctly summed up his method in a piece of advice he once gave to Marlon Samuels: "watch the ball, if it look fat, attack. If it look fine, block."

He has come a long way since he was playing on wickets made out of rolled cow dung and mud in his home village of Unity. Back then his father, a fisherman nicknamed cow-fly, was so keen his son should grow up a cricketer that according to Colin Croft, who grew up nearby, he "even enlisted the village dogs, cows and donkeys to bowl at him".

Chanderpaul does not belong on the top of the pedestal(Sobers, Richards and Lara reside there), but he certainly has a place in the pantheon. That century against Australia was his 25th, which puts him one ahead of Viv Richards, and leaves him behind only Lara and Gary Sobers on the West Indies' all-time list.

Rush

Shiv will be appreciated a whole lot more when he stops playing. Typical low self-esteem, instant-gratification, can-think-too-far-down-the-road skunts denigrate the man for doing what he loves best...BAT and BAT and BAT some more...

If we had TWO more Shivs in the team instead of the low life, talentless dotties, we'd do a whole lot better. hopefully Deo and Fuda can emulate the great man and his simple approach to the game.

I LOVE SHIV. Man could play until hes 50if he keep makin runs like dis

bossman19TT wrote:I LOVE SHIV. Man could play until hes 50if he keep makin runs like dis

In his first 50 tests(1994 to 2002) Shiv averaged 39.17 with 2 hundreds and 23 fifties.

In his last 80 tests(2002 to today) Shiv has averaged 56.15 with 23 hundreds and 34 fifties.

Shiv has been a real bossman the past 10 years.

Rush

Babulall wrote:Shiv will be appreciated a whole lot more when he stops playing. Typical low self-esteem, instant-gratification, can-think-too-far-down-the-road skunts denigrate the man for doing what he loves best...BAT and BAT and BAT some more...

Shiv has now played in 139 tests; Tendulkar has played in 188

Tendulkar aspires to play in at least 200 tests; Shiv ought to entertain the same aspiration as long as he continues to be productive with the bat.

Like I pointed out to bossman above---in his last 80 tests---played in the past 10 years---Shiv has averaged 56+ with 23 hundreds and 34 fifties.

Rush

The man is a GREAT, no question Loyal and Humble servant to WI cricket.

He is also a Borse and backbone of the WI whole team. past, present and future.

Long may he continue.

I Hope the youngster's are paying attention, KEENLY.

What they learn batting with him cannot be replicated in practice or coached. The clinic he put on at QPO being an example.

4 more years, please. BORSE

Rush wrote: in his last 80 tests---played in the past 10 years---Shiv has averaged 56+ with 23 hundreds and 34 fifties.

Rush

Rush,

This is why he should NOT chase that elusive 50 overall average. He bats TOO SLOW and seems detached from the team a bit when he plays for the not outs. The not outs are good and helps his average, but Shiv should focus on LEGACY and the IPL. Make that 10k runs and you DON'T NEED the 50 average to be considered GREAT. He's in the top ten alltime in runs scored with that 10k so there's the flippin legacy.

BAT like a TIGER! We all know shiv can go from gear 1 to 5 in a heartbeat. So why mess around when you're on top of the bowling. He doesn't have to go hari kari. Bat with controlled aggression and he may score a lot more runs.

I really hope he plays another 5 years and finishes as the top 5 test batsman (in terms of aggregate runs)....that legacy can't be match by the Dotties...

I hope he plays a lot longer...

For a batsman with such a record and a secure legacy he bats too conservative at times... He should pull a Babulall and just blast for runs from time to time...He's already done it - 69 ball hundred...he can do it again.

Anyhow, nice to see the great man still scoring runs....keep it up Tiger....

Can't wait to see the CUB wear whites for the WI..

Nice article...Rush.. Looks like the author visited Shivisgreat.com for that quote

Another great tribute in this cricinfo article on Shiv as well

Chanderpaul places such a high value on his wicket that bowlers can't always meet the asking price. The trouble for West Indies over his 18 years of service, and right now, is the supporting cast. Their lack of care has devalued his hard work. Their shoddiness has taken the edge off the tiger's bite. How many wins his runs would have been worth, how many series saved, with a little more help?

When the mood takes him, however, he can more than play the West Indian way. The Aussies have seen his other side, most memorably in 2003, when he cut loose to all corners of Bourda for 100 off 69 balls. On his first tour Down Under, in 1996, a frail-looking Chanderpaul first showed that other side, carving out a breathtaking 71 in Sydney against Shane Warne before he fell on his blade. Defeat, though, followed in both cases

That's what I'm talking about!! Shiv can switch it on at will!!

Thanks for the link Babulall ....