PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa (CMC):
Marlon Samuels hopes his performances in the first Test against South Africa will earn him a regular place in the West Indies team and allow him to fully develop as a Test batsman.
"Test cricket is very difficult and I would love to get a chance to play more Test matches back-to-back instead of being in and then out of the side so often," said the 26-year-old Jamaican batsman. "It will give me the chance of getting better scores more regularly, being more consistent."
Samuels was speaking after being named Man of the Match for his innings of 94 and 40 in the West Indies' shock 128-run victory at St. George's Park.
Immediate impression
At age 19, Samuels made an immediate impression as an emergency replacement for the injured Shivnarine Chanderpaul on the 2000/01 tour of Australia. However, inconsistency, injury and even the occasional controversy have resulted in a stop-start career in which he averaged just 27.30 from 24 Tests going into this opening match of the three-Test series here.
He was almost desperate to add to his lone Test century, but put that near miss in a different perspective on Saturday.
"I said earlier that I was very disappointed that I didn't get the century, but if I could score 94 and the West Indies go on to win every time, I'll be satisfied," he stated, adding that background information from two weeks ago encouraged him to approach his batting differently.
Made up mind
"I had spoken to the grounds-man here during the Twenty20 match and he told me that not a lot of runs are scored here in first-class cricket. So I made up my mind from then to put my head down and get what I wanted from this match - and it actually turned out how I wanted it to."
Samuels was full of praise for the leadership skills of new captain Chris Gayle.
"Whenever you have a good leader who motivates people and doesn't discourage them, that person, to me, is a true leader and will always get support," he noted. "When Chris talks to you, it is in a way that you take the positive from it."
