Shivnarine Chanderpaul not only has one of the longest names in world cricket but also one of the longest attention spans. The Australians know this because four years ago in the Caribbean he averaged more than four hours per innings against them. Little has changed. Chanderpaul's six-hour unbeaten century in the first Test in Barbados has given West Indies the upper hand against Australia, although they must hope the time their batsmen used won't cost them later in the game.
There's no doubt about it: the Test series has started. After two weeks of limited-overs games between these two teams and while the IPL, with its promise of immediate gratification, gets under way in India, West Indies and Australia played out a dour first day in Barbados. By the end of a rain-shortened day, neither side could claim any real advantage but Kraigg Brathwaite's stubborn half-century and Kirk Edwards' 61 had given the hosts something to build on.
Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda and Chairman of CARICOM Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on Cricket today announced that the year-long impasse between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and Mr. Chris Gayle has been resolved.
West Indies have recalled the batsman Narsingh Deonarine for the first Test against Australia in Barbados, starting April 7. The 13-member squad also includes the fast bowler Ravi Rampaul, who missed the one-dayers and Twenty20 due to injury and illness.
Deonarine, the left-handed middle-order batsman and offspinner, last played for West Indies during the home series against South Africa in 2010. He was the leading run-scorer in the Regional Four-Day Competition with 582 runs in seven matches at an average of 44.76. He also took 20 wickets for Guyana, including two five-wicket hauls.
Sunil Narine, the West Indies spinner who was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for $700,000 in the January player auction, will be available for the entire duration of the 2012 IPL, a franchise official has said. The IPL overlaps with West Indies' home Tests against Australia, and while Narine does not have a WICB contract and hasn't played a Test yet, his excellent form in the limited-overs series against Australia could have resulted in a call-up.
