Shivnarine Chanderpaul deserves special send-off, says WICB president Dave Cameron

Shivnarine Chanderpaul

Kingston, May 22 (IANS) West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Dave Cameron says he wants to ensure that veteran left-hander Shiv Chanderpaul gets a fitting send-off when his career finally ends.

The 40-year-old Chanderpaul is nearing the end of an illustrious career that has seen him garner 11,867 runs from 164 Tests, to be second on the all-time West Indies list behind the superb Brian Lara. Cameron, who in March gained re-election for a second term, said he had not been pleased with how former players had been treated at the end of their respective careers, reports CMC.

"I have never really liked how we have ushered out our players, so as president I am always trying to figure out how to honour them," he said.

"We're doing it now on a continuous basis, year by year, for their performances, but at the end of a long and illustrious career like Shivnarine Chanderpaul's we want to ensure that whatever we do, it is well respected and that he knows and the region knows how much we value his services to West Indies cricket."

Much speculation has surrounded Chanderpaul's recent form. He managed a mere 91 runs against South Africa in three Tests earlier this year and also struggled against England in the recent three-Test series with just 92 runs. He requires a further 86 runs to surpass Lara's record of 11 953 and maybe eyeing the two-Test Australia series beginning next month, as the opportunity to do so.

However, Cameron said Chanderpaul recently met with the West Indies hierarchy to discuss his future and more would be revealed in coming days.

"Unfortunately, I am not privy to the discussions, but obviously it is where he is at and what are the next steps. In another couple of days it will be made a lot clearer as to the end result of those discussions or how we go forward," Cameron said.