Cricket: Chanderpaul happy with captaincy

Shivnarine Chanderpaul's not facing the firing squad just yet, but the West Indies skipper was feeling immense heat ahead of today's fourth one-day cricket international in Napier.

Chanderpaul has presided over West Indies' longest one-day losing streak since taking the reins in March last year.

With his side having already lost the five-match series 0-3, and Chanderpaul, along with other senior players still to stamp their mark on the tour, he acknowledged yesterday that the screws were tightening after slipping to 18 losses from their last 20 completed matches.

Reports earlier this month from the Caribbean have called for a new captain to be installed.

Chanderpaul, a veteran of 181 matches, admitted he needed to take a firmer stance with his captaincy while he deflected suggestions he should step aside.

"There will always be pressure. Nobody expects it to be easy, you either get give up or get tough -- whichever one you choose," Chanderpaul said.

"Somebody has to do it (the captaincy). I don't mind, but I have to get tougher with it."

Current vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan was identified as a potential captain by former skipper Brian Lara, and it's been suggested leading the side has effected Chanderpaul's batting with scores of four, 17 and 18 in this series.

He last posted a half-century in August 2005.

"It's at the back of my mind. It's been a long time since I had a big score.

"There's a lot of things I have to put together and hopefully I can sort them out," said Chanderpaul who adopts an unusual stance at the batting crease where both his feet are pointing towards the bowler.

He suffered the ignominy of being bowled between his legs by international novice Jeetan Patel in the first match in Wellington.

Despite the gloom, Chanderpaul, whose class is undisputed with over 5300 one-day runs at 36.16, said their heads were still aloft after running the hosts very close in the past two matches.

"I think it's a confidence thing. We know we can got out and put together a win as we head into the test series."

While West Indies have their problems, New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming said they still had some issues of their own to work through.

Over seven weeks ago the Black Caps arrived at McLean Park one match away from a clean sweep against Sri Lanka but lost by 20 runs, even after Peter Fulton's maiden one-day century.

Even with the series already won, Fleming conceded they could not afford to slacken off with the three-test series starting next month.

There were still areas that needed addressing, mostly two batting slumps in the previous games.

"It's a nice problem to have and it doesn't happen that often," Fleming said about tweaking their game while being ahead 3-0.

"Certainly we've identified it. We played out last dead rubber here and didn't finish the game off well.

"We did 90 per cent well but the last 10 per cent was atrocious. We lost a game we should have won."

Fleming's position in the batting lineup has shifted constantly as coach John Bracewell and the his fellow selectors continue to test combinations.

The captain has changed position in all three matches, from opener to No 3 then No 4, and said he had to prepared for more changes.

"People have to make way and bat in positions that are foreign to them for the benefit of getting guys that we think will be a strength in the right place.

"That includes me, sliding up and down the order and possibly further down the order than I have been for some time.

"It's a discussion I need to have with John to see what he wants to do and how to marry that with the tactics we want."

- NZPA