Chanderpaul century headlines big Windies win

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Shivnarine Chanderpaul scored his 11th One-Day International century to lead West Indies to a massive 208-run win over Canada in the Jamaica Cricket Festival yesterday.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul

The veteran left-hander stroked 101 from 121 balls with six fours and a six to fire West Indies to 316 for four, their 12th highest total in ODIs, after winning the toss and batting first at Sabina Park.

In reply, Canada were blown away for 108 off 39.2 overs to slump to their third loss of the series after Twenty20 defeats to the Windies and Jamaica at the weekend.

Left-arm spinner Nikita Miller then snatched three for 15 while stand-in captain Darren Sammy (2-14) and left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn (2-24) finished with two wickets apiece.

“Today we batted very well and the bowlers kept doing a good job,” said Sammy.

“We made over 300 and we limited them to under 150 so I think it was a good outing for us as a team.”

Chanderpaul, opening the innings, posted a breezy 88 for the first wicket with Andre Fletcher who hammered 48, to get the innings off to a solid start.

The two matched each other stroke for stroke before Fletcher fell in the 19th over after facing 56 balls and stroking six fours and a six.

However, it was the second wicket stand of 143 between Chanderpaul and Darren Bravo, which took the game away from the Canadians. Both players were in superb form, hitting the ball cleanly to all parts of the outfield.

Chanderpaul brought up his 50 off 69 deliveries with four fours while Bravo, the more aggressive of the two, reached his 50 off 59 balls with six fours.

At this stage, with wickets in hand and less than 10 overs to bowl, Bravo and Chanderpaul tried to push on the score, but both fell within the space of eight runs and seven balls.

The left-handed Bravo was bowled by medium pacer Rizwan Cheema for 74 after facing just 75 deliveries, hitting six fours and two sixes while Chanderpaul, the very next ball after bringing up his century with two runs to long on, went caught in the same position off left-arm seamer Umar Bhatti.

Ramnaresh Sarwan was aggressive in scoring 47 from 26 deliveries with five fours and a six while Narsingh Deonarine cracked 31 from 24 balls with three boundaries in a 72-run, fourth wicket stand that pushed West Indies past the 300-run mark.

In their turn at the crease, Canada were never allowed to settle and when Benn and wicketkeeper Andre Fletcher combined to run out Trevin Bastiampillai for two at eight for one, the floodgates opened.

Wickets tumbled at regular intervals as Canada slipped to 27 for three and then 52 for six and they needed Bhatti’s unbeaten 32 off 77 deliveries towards the end to get past the 100-run mark.

Canada’s captain Ashish Bagai lamented his side’s performance.

“The way we played the cricket was very disappointing,” he said. “Our batting was very disappointing. They did not apply themselves.”