Chanderpaul feels the pressure

COLOMBO: West Indies captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul is disappointed that his under-strength side has not been more competitive in its two matches in the three-nation limited-overs international cricket competition. West Indies face the prospect of an early exit from the competition, after losing their first two matches at Dambulla by 50 runs against India last Sunday, and six wickets against hosts Sri Lanka last Tuesday. They complete the preliminary round of the competition with matches today (Sri Lanka) and tomorrow (India) under the lights at the Premadasa Stadium in the heart of the capital.

“In a sense, I am a little bit frustrated,” Chanderpaul told CMC CricketPlus in an interview on the eve of the match. “I know that we have some really good young players in Sri Lanka, and I feel we can do much better. At this stage, I am not so much concerned about the result, but if we had played much better the results could be a little different. “We never expected to win every match, but we have enough talent in Sri Lanka, but we are not getting it right. We are looking to lift our game, not a little, but a lot to win the two matches and reach the Final, but we have to play much better cricket.”

Chanderpaul, the most experienced player in the West Indies side with 88 Tests and 177 limited-overs internationals, has identified the batting as the main source of his frustration. “We will probably make some adjustments to our batting line-up, but we will make the final decision on it on Saturday morning,” Chanderpaul hinted. “Our batting has been our biggest problem, but it was good to see us recover from 39 for five, and get back into the match against Sri Lanka, when Dwayne Smith was batting. “This shows that we have some character there and some strength. It shows that we can win matches, if we can set them up early with our batting, and have a solid foundation.”

Chanderpaul acknowledges that the team spirit has been high, despite the difficult circumstances surrounding the tour. “We have some guys, who are happy to be on tour, and like any other team we celebrate whenever we get a wicket, or do something well,” he said. “We are well aware of the team that we have in Sri Lanka, and we have had some good times, so it must make us happy.” Chanderpaul did not take part fully in the team’s final practice in yesterday’s midday sunshine.

He injured his right foot during Tuesday’s match, and was taking it easy to ensure that he is fit for the weekend’s matches. Sri Lanka top the standings with 16 points, eight clear of the Indians, with West Indies bringing up the rear on no points. Sri Lanka also won the opening match last Saturday against India by three wickets, and triumphed by five wickets in a thrilling return match last Wednesday. The Final of the competition will be contested next Wednesday at Premadasa. (CMC)