CHANDERPAUL

CHESTER-LE-STREET, England (CMC):

SHIVNARINE CHANDERPAUL appears to be the latest West Indies batsman to secure a professional contract in the English County Championship.

The CaribbeanCricket.com website has reported that Chanderpaul will join Gareth Breese and Otis Gibson at north-west England club Durham for the second half of the season.

The website quoted published reports which indicate that it is also likely that Chanderpaul could return to Durham next season.

If Australian batsman Michael DiVenuto applies to become a European citizen, since he carries an Italian passport through his father, he could play for Durham under the Kolpak rule.

Filling a role

This would leave Durham free to sign another overseas star and Chanderpaul could fill that role after starring for West Indies on their recent tour of England and Ireland.

Chanderpaul accumulated 446 runs at 148.66 in three of the four Tests against Michael Vaughan's side, including 136 and 70 in the final Test at the Riverside.

The left-hander then gathered 202 at an average of 202.00 in the three-match one-day international series.

Chanderpaul is one of a growing number of members of the West Indian team that have secured contracts, following the tour of England.

They include Jerome Taylor at Leicestershire under a Digicel-sponsored scholarship, Daren Powell at Hampshire, while Ravi Rampaul has been connected with Glamorgan.