Chanderpaul gets ready

Chanderpaul wants to get better and better

 

West Indies star batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul is working overtime to get ready for the upcoming Test Series against New Zealand. The champion left-hander said he is looking to achieve his personal goals as well as overall team success. He is of the firm belief the Windies have the ability to win the series and move up the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) rankings.

 

“I want to improve all the time. I try harder, I work harder and I try to eliminate any mistakes. I just try to get better. The aim is to improve my skills. You never know what will happen on the cricket field, but you know once you prepare properly you give yourself every chance to play well,” he said.

 

In September, the 34-year-old was named the ICC’s International Cricketer of the Year. He is the Number 1 batsman in the latest Test match rankings, published earlier this week.

 

“I have been playing for so long and I want to win. As much as I do well personally I want to win as a team as well. That would be good for everyone. We have an opportunity here to start winning some games and make some steps up the rankings.”

 

The West Indies will have their final training session on Thursday morning before they face Auckland in a warm-up match at the Eden Park Outer Oval from Friday to Sunday. The first Test will be at the University Oval in Dunedin (December 11-15) and the second Test at McLean Park, Napier (December 19-23)

 

“We have a young team, guys who have not experienced these kinds of conditions before. It comes back to how well we can get acclimatized to the conditions out here and get accustomed to the pitches. It is obvious, they all have talent, in the Caribbean we are full of talent but it is how well we can perform in each department,” Chanderpaul said.

 

“It depends on how well we play and I know we can play well. I know we are capable. Once we perform in all departments it would make for a very good Christmas.”

 

FIXTURES

Friday, Dec 5 to Sunday, Dec 7: vs Auckland at Eden Park Outer Oval

Thursday, Dec 11 to Monday, Dec 15: 1^st Test at University Oval, Dunedin

Friday Dec 19 to Tuesday, Dec 23: 2^nd Test at McLean Park, Napier

Friday, Dec 26: 1^st T20 International at Eden Park, Auckland

Sunday, Dec 28: 2^nd T20 International at Seddon Park, Hamilton

Wednesday, Dec 31: 1^st ODI at Queenstown Event Centre, Queenstown

Saturday, Jan 3: 2^nd ODI at AMI Stadium, Christchurch

Wednesday, Jan 7: 3^rd ODI at Westpac Stadium, Wellington

Saturday Jan 10: 4^th ODI at Eden Park, Auckland

Tuesday, Jan 13: 5^th ODI at McLean Park, Napier

 

SQUAD: Chris Gayle (Captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan (Vice Captain), Lionel Baker, Carlton Baugh Jnr, Sulieman Benn, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Fidel Edwards, Leon Johnson, Xavier Marshall, Brendan Nash, Daren Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Kemar Roach, Jerome Taylor.

 

STAFF: Omar Khan (Team Manager), John Dyson (Head Coach), David Williams (Assistant Coach), C.J. Clark (Physiotherapist), Steve Folkes (Strength and Conditioning Coach), Richard Berridge (Analyst), Virgil Browne (Massage Therapist), Philip Spooner (Media Officer)