I Love Batting Early - Samuels

[Anguillan newsboy]

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica – Of late West Indies captain Brian Lara has been repeating ad nauseam that for the West Indies to succeed in its World Cup bid his team needs to find more match winners among the ranks. He has been simultaneously cautioning against over reliance on himself and the other big names – Gayle, Sarwan, Chanderpaul.
Lara’s message has been getting through to his teammates but none more so than Marlon Samuels. In the last three games that the West Indies won, Samuels scored 100* (v Pakistan), 98 (v India) and 100 against Kenya on Monday at the Trelawny Multi Purpose Stadium.
“I am aware of it, the captain spoke to me and said he is looking for match winners and I told him I have no problem doing that,” Samuels said a day after blasting an even ton, then retiring, in the West Indies first warm up game.
“The captain asked for match winners and he is giving me the chance and I’m relishing the opportunity,” the graceful right handed strokemaker said.
“I see this as hard work plus opportunity now paying off for me,” Samuels reasoned.
“It’s wonderful to perform well and the team wins, you really can’t ask for more than that,” Samuels said.
“It’s a good feeling to score a hundred coming from a lot of distractions,” Samuels said in an obvious reference to the recent unpleasant mentioning of his name in India.
“I’ve had a lot of distractions in my career and I know how to take the negatives and turn them into positives, the greatest thing was the support I have received from the crowd both in Kingston and in the country, it was delightful,” Samuels said.
Turning his attention to batting higher up the order Samuels said it is what he prefers.
“Batting early, it gives me a chance to ***ess the conditions and the pitch and pace myself, it’s difficult to score a lot of runs batting at number seven and eight, I love batting early, you get to express yourself and set up your team,” Samuels said.
Samuels is looking to becoming a key factor in the West Indies success in the 2007 World Cup bid.
“In the last World Cup I went in late and played only one game against Kenya so this World Cup I am hoping I can get the opportunities to do well for my team, put my best foot forward and ensure that my team wins,” he said.
“I am not going in overconfident, I am going in as being me, backing myself and staying positive,” Samuels said.
Samuels also wanted to offer thanks to some people who have been on his side throughout his career.


“I have to say special thanks to my lawyer Churchill Neita, my mentor Lloyd Thomas and Donald McNaughton, my entire family, my baby girl De-Jorna Dior Samuels and her mom Shana,” the proud father beamed.



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