1-0-1-0 -- Shivnarine Chanderpaul's sudden pullout from
the second Test match in Trinidad has set tongues wagging around
the Caribbean after news leaked out that the left-hander was passed
fit to play by the medical staff.
Radio commentators and travelling writer Peter Roebuck went as
far as suggesting Chanderpaul was upset that the West Indies
Cricket Board (WICB) did not make arrangements for his wife to
travel to Trinidad for the game but a senior team official
dismissed those conspiracy theories.
There's a 'little' something hiding in the background of the
drama unfolding in the second Test in Trinidad & Tobago.
Yes, a lot has been made of the work of debutant Carlton Baugh
behind and in front of the stumps in this game but there is
something remarkable about his ascendancy as Ridley Jacobs'
understudy that has escaped everyone.
In response to a daunting Australian first innings total of
576/4, the West Indies put together the sort of performance that
should satisfy their most critical supporters. Against the world's
best attack, a total of 408 should give the West Indies immense
confidence that they can match the Australians if they perform to
potential, at least for a few sessions in the test match.
In some ways, the first day of the second test at the Queens
Park Oval was a new low for West Indian cricket, and in some
others, it showed a continued adherence to policies that were known
to have failed. The match will be remembered, however, as the one
in which the West Indian management came up with a new concept,
that of a bowling defence.
Admitting it is always going to be tough playing with just three
specialist bowlers, West Indies captain Brian Lara said all is not
lost in the second Test after Australia amassed 391 for three on
the first day.
"I am part of the selection committee and there is no hindsight
thinking. This is what we got, this is what we thought was going to
be the best option for this particular match," Lara said in a
post-play interview.
