Chanderpaul: I'm just doing my 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.

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 6 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.

And 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 team mates 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.

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