Chanderpauls join illustrious company
When Tagenarine Chanderpaul reached three figures against Barbados at the Kensington Oval in the ninth round of the Cricket West Indies Digicel-sponsored Regional four day championships earlier this month, the son of the legendary Shivnarine Chanderpaul had placed himself and his father on an elite fathers and sons list who had the distinct honour of scoring a century at the Regional First Class Level.
The left-handed opener had reached the landmark from 275 balls when he deposited a delivery from Jonathan Carter to deep mid-wicket for his ninth boundary.
The first family combination to register centuries at the Regional First Class Level were the Constantines, Lebrun, Learie and Elias.
Lebrun Constantine, father of Learie and Elias, scored an unforgettable 116 versus British Guiana in 1910 at the Queen’s Park Oval. His son Learie emulated his father with a pugnacious 133 versus Barbados in 1929 at the Queen’s Park Oval while Elias added his name to this father and son list with a classy 139 against British Guiana in 1944, again, at the Queen’s Park Oval.
The next father and son combination to achieve the feat was another legendary West Indian cricketer in Sir Everton Weekes.
Weekes, one third of the famous Three W’s (the others being Sir Frank Worrell and Sir Clyde Walcott) scored 129 against British Guiana in 1946, 123 versus Jamaica at Sabina Park in 1947, 236 versus British Guiana in 1950 at the Kensington Oval and 107 versus Jamaica in 1964 at the Kensington Oval. His son, David Murray, scored 106 not out versus Guyana at the Kensington Oval in 1975, 113 versus the Combined Islands at the Kensington Oval in 1977 and 143 versus Jamaica at the Kensington Oval in 1978. 145 vs Windwards, Albion 2003, 109 vs Jamaica, Albion 2003, 138 vs Windwards, Bourda, 2005, 194 vs Leewards, Hampton Court, 2005, 207 not out vs Combined Colleges, Providence, 2008, 105 not out vs Leewards, Corva, 2010, 125 not out vs Barbados Kensington Oval, 2012,