Date: 29th July 2010
A Paul Edwards copyright exclusive for L&DCC Official Website.
At the Rose Bowl: Day One of Four: Lancashire have scored 262 for eight against Hampshire
There seems little point in arguing that Shivnarine Chanderpaul is a beautiful batsman to watch in the conventional sense of the term. Such things are matters of aesthetic taste, I know, but compare the Guyanan to V V S Laxman or Mark Waugh and you will see that the little man is a vastly different type of cricketer. Chanderpaul is a craftsman, a technician; he is living proof that cricket accommodates all shapes and sizes. Here, however, I'd better stop my analysis, for on the evidence of Thursday's cricket this chap is going to strain the articulacy of the press pack before he leaves Lancashire in mid-September, and I, for one, have no intention of finding my thesaurus empty by August Bank Holiday.
Suffice it to say therefore, that Chanderpaul made 118 runs this blissful afternoon in Hampshire and that he hit 16 boundaries in his 217-ball innings. It should be added that his innings was by no means perfect; it contained more false shots than did his 92 at Durham last week. Nevertheless, he held the Lancashire innings together from the eighth over, when Tom Smith was caught behind by debutant wicketkeeper Michael Bates off James Tomlinson for two, until the 91st, when he gave the keeper his fourth catch of the day and Dominic Cork, his second wicket with the new ball.
In the intervening period Chanderpaul guided Lancashire to two bonus points and supplied a little balm to any lingering hurt from Tuesday's t20 defeat at Chelmsford. In the arena where Finals Day will be held - and the Rose Bowl really is an arena or a stadium, rather than a ground - and against opponents who have qualified for English cricket's annual jamboree, Lancashire's players surely allowed the thought to cross their minds that it could have been them too.
Chanderpaul said Chelmsford hadn't been mentioned before the game, and certainly Lancashire coach Peter Moores had more immediate and palpable injuries on his mind prior to the toss. Fortunately, Steven Croft and Glen Chapple were declared fit but Luke Procter was ruled out with a leg injury. There were therefore two changes to the side which drew with Durham last week, Gary Keedy and Gareth Cross replacing James Anderson, who is with England, and Stephen Moore, who sustained a sickening dislocated shoulder against Essex and could be out for a very long time.
The morning's play belonged to Hampshire, who were led with customary brio by Cork. The home captain managed his first strop of the day when Lancashire were late declaring their team, but he soon cheered up when Paul Horton and Mark Chilton followed Smith to the pavilion to leave Lancs on 65 for three at lunch. After the break, Chandepaul and Croft took their partnership to 78 before Croft, who had made 41, played on to the impressive slow left-amer Danny Briggs. The 19-year-old then had Cross caught behind for four when Lancashire's second wicketkeeper essayed a cut. Briggs had actually taken Chanderpaul's wicket when Hampshire played Durham last September, but the promising spinner was not to be so successful this time.
Instead, the Guyanan reached his fifty off 109 balls and added 77 runs with Luke Sutton, his partner in a 135-run stand at the Riverside, before the keeper slashed the impressive David Balcombe to James Vince at slip. The same fielder caught Chapple off James Tomlinson for nine although by that time the Lancashire skipper had been able to congratulate Chanderpaul on his century which was achieved off 190 balls in a fraction over four hours.
The West Indian Test batsman's departure nerly six overs before the close left the game interestingly poised. Cork claimed afterwards it was a flat track but Lancashire have included two spinners and have some runs on the board. If Mahmood, Kerrigan and Keedy can whack, nurdle and nidge the total above 300, that would be an excellent start to the second morning for the visitors. Mahmood has already whipped Tomlinson over deep midwicket for six, making it three maximums in a week for Lancashire's newest all-rounder.
Back to top