West Indies still rely on Chanderpaul

In the Jamaican Observer, Hartley Anderson laments West Indies’ poor preparation for their tour of Sri Lanka and says Shivnarine Chanderpaul will be the key player in the Test series.

Much could depend on the form and mental sharpness of former skipper Chanderpaul. The little left-handed Guyanese has had a relatively quiet year by his standards, and is no doubt relishing the thought of a forceful comeback, despite having been deposed as the world's No 1 batsman some two years now.

If there is one thing about Shiv, it's that he has a fiercely competitive spirit, loves batting for long periods — he is one of only three men in the history of the game to have batted for over 1,000 minutes without being dismissed in Tests — and is arguably second only to Ramnaresh Sarwan in the regional pecking order in playing spin bowling.