Michael Holding, the former West Indies fast bowler, has backed the chairman of selectors Clive Lloyd's logic of jettisoning Shivnarine Chanderpaul for the Australia series. Holding said that Chanderpaul, who has managed 183 runs in his last 11 innings at 16.64, was no longer good enough to be picked for West Indies.
"I don't believe that cricketers should just get a series for getting a series sake. I don't think Shivnarine Chanderpaul has proven in recent times that he is still a good enough player to be playing for West Indies," Holding told ESPNcricinfo. "He has done yeoman service for over two decades. West Indies should be happy to have had him playing for them for that long. All good things have to come to an end.
"I saw him play against South Africa recently and he certainly did not look like the Shivnarine Chanderpaul that I was accustomed to seeing. He was a little bit slow with his reactions to the fast bowlers and we know what Australia are going to be bringing."
Holding also echoed Lloyd's sentiment of making way for youth though it would take time to fill the Chanderpaul-sized void.
"Chanderpaul has to make way for someone younger. The person that comes in obviously is not going to fill Chanderpaul's shoes immediately. He has done so much good work for West Indies. But it is time for someone younger than him who can grow into those shoes."
"From what I have heard I don't think anybody can complain. From what I heard they called him, had a meeting with him. They told him exactly what they would like to do and I have no problems with that," Holding said.
"I don't think Chanderpaul is ever going to be one to say, 'listen, my time has come and I have to move on'. So they have done the right thing."
When asked about the legacy left behind by Chanderpaul, Holding said: "Chanderpaul's legacy will be someone who went and played for West Indies and gave his all for a very long time. To show everyone that if you can go out and work hard, if you have deficiencies in technique and you work hard enough, you can produce the goods."
Bullshit. Because they could play men like Devon Smith series after series when he prob never see a score past 75. Chanderpaul deserved a proper farewell series
[quote author=The Chairman link=topic=97764.msg638822#msg638822 date=1432850524]
"From what I have heard I don't think anybody can complain. From what I heard they called him, had a meeting with him. They told him exactly what they would like to do and I have no problems with that," Holding said. [/quote]
Mikey always 'calls a spade ..a spade' and inevitably I always agree with him .... BUT not on this one. From what he's heard .... seems not got the sequence of events quite right !! :-[
there is a lot more than just that in the issue. holding is not stupid. he is a smart educated boy. if he speaks like that he must know what he is doing. it is against the popular interest, and he must be aware of that.
I was critical of holding when he started out. I called hm a Tom, an Uncle. but he is a very good commie, and very straightforward. so I relaxed on him but I never lost my suspicion of him. he can suck up and this is reflected in the plum jobs he gets in the cricket journalism
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Well I am sure that Chanderpaul was not the only West Indies batsman to struggle against England and there are a few still in the squad to face Australia. That Shay Hope guy looked very shaky and I don't expect any better against Australia. Brathwaite is also a hit or miss and therefore the struggle at the top of the order continues for the West Indies.
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