Controversy as ‘Chanders’ named

GEORGETOWN: Experienced Test batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul was named on Monday to captain Guyana’s team at the 2003 Red Stripe Bowl tournament.

In a surprise decision, the 29-year-old Chanderpaul was given the nod over West Indies vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan to lead the Guyanese in the October 1-19 tournament. “We went through the process, the selectors nominated Chanderpaul and the executive concurred,” Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) president Chetram Singh told CMC Sports yesterday. “Chanderpaul had always been the vice-captain to (Carl) Hooper and whenever Hooper wasn’t available, Chanderpaul would take over, so his appointment now is a natural progression,” Singh added. Hooper, who has had a very successful season playing English county cricket for Lancashire, had not confirmed his availability up to Monday, and was omitted from the 14-man squad.

Sarwan, who led the Demerara team — that included Chanderpaul — in the recent Inter-County Championship, had appeared poised to get the Guyana captaincy as part of the grooming process for West Indies captaincy. But Singh suggested that the West Indies vice-captaincy has been a fluid position and the 22-year-old right-hander would have had “a stronger claim” for the Guyana captaincy if the West Indies could explicitly declare him their vice-captain and firm choice to take over from current captain Brian Lara. “We have got to know what is good for Guyana’s cricket. The West Indies have been appointing vice-captains and changing them often, we have also had (Wavell) Hinds and (Ridley) Jacobs in the past year. It is not like they have told Sarwan he would be vice-captain for the next three years,” Singh said.

Sarwan was Lara’s deputy during this year’s Cable and Wireless series against Australia and Sri Lanka in the Caribbean. The squad includes two former captains, spinners Mahendra Nagamootoo and Neil Mc Garrell, and two newcomers to regional limited overs cricket — batsmen Ryan Ramdass and Krishna Arjune. The Guyanese, who last won the Red Stripe Bowl in 2001, when they claimed a record seventh regional One-Day title, will play in Group “B” of the tournament alongside hosts Antigua and Barbuda, title-holders Barbados, the University XI, and West Indies Under-19s. Squad - Shivnarine Chanderpaul (captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan (vice captain), Sewnarine Chattergoon, Krishna Arjune, Ryan Ramdass, Narsingh Deonarine, Lennox Cush, Travis Dowlin, Mahendra Nagamootoo, Vishal Nagamootoo, Neil Mc Garrell, Reon Griffith, Esuan Crandon, Ryan Thomas.