Tagenarine Chanderpaul scored a century in the ongoing tour match between Prime Minister’s XI and West Indies at Manuka Oval in Canberra, Australia. The left-hander took 235 balls to reach his century and included 11 fours and a six.
The visitors made a bright start to their innings, progressing to 0-94 thanks to strong efforts from Chanderpaul and Kraigg Brathwaite (47). Chanderpaul scored an unbeaten 80 off 193 balls on Thursday to lift his team to 151-4 at dinner on the second day.
Australia scored 322 runs in the first innings and by the end of the second day of the match, the West Indies team had scored 234 runs with the loss of 07 wickets.
Tagenarine was selected as a reserve batsman for the domestic series against Bangladesh but is now expected to open the batting alongside captain Kraigg Brathwaite. After a great domestic season, he has returned to the national side.
The left-hander was the second highest run-scorer in the 2021-22 West Indies Four-Day Championship.He scored 439 runs in eight innings at an average of 73.16.
The 26-year-old’s knock against PM’s XI has put his name in the limelight ahead of the first Test against Australia, which starts on November 30 at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
Before the start of the tour, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite backed Chanderpaul to succeed at the Test level and He said,
“He has a bright future for West Indies. Obviously he is a guy who can spend a lot of time at the crease. He just has to do the same things he has done in first-class cricket for Guyana.”
The West Indies, who are ranked 8th in the Test cricket rankings, will play the first Test match on November 30 in Perth and the second Test match on December 8 in Adelaide against Australia, who are at the top of the rankings.
Shivanarin Chamdrapol commented on his son.
“He’s been knocking at the door since before Covid… two-and-a-half years passed with no cricket behind, then he started to get some cricket back. He started the first-class season without many runs, then he came to Florida and did some work with me.”
“When he got back, he got a couple of hundreds and now he’s got selected to come here. Knowing the attack Australia has – these guys are relentless – if he can come here and do well, it will be a start to his career.”
“I try to help him sometimes but he’s a little bent in his ways. He’ll seek me out for some help but then there’s a lot of times, like any kid, when you message him but he doesn’t message back. Unless he wants something! I’ll message [while] watching the game whenever he’s playing, I’ve seen what he’s doing, if he’s doing something he’s not supposed to be doing then I’ll message and say ‘this is what I’m seeing’ and he’ll not message back for two months after.”
Tagenarine stated that he is not capable of being a father.
“I try and be myself. I can’t be him, so I can only be myself. Fingers crossed… I’ll try to get some runs if I’m selected.”
And here’s a fun fact Because Tagenareen has a film credit to his name. He was cast in the role of Larry Gomes in the film ’83, about India’s famous World Cup win.
“Being a part of 83 was a great opportunity that I stumbled upon while playing four-day cricket in St Lucia in 2018.” Tagenarine told News Room Sport last year.
“During a practice session a scout came to the ground and asked who wanted to try out for the film. To my surprise a few months later I received a call that I had been chosen to play the part of Larry Gomes.”
Lastly, but most importantly, does he mark his guard with a bail? “Sometimes,” Shivnarine said.