Samuels aims for a come-back century

BRIDGETOWN — Allrounder Marlon Samuels says he is targeting a century to celebrate his return to international cricket and to hand West Indies the advantage against Zimbabwe in the first Test underway at Kensington Oval in Barbados. Samuels is already enjoying a successful return with a destructive bowling spell against Zimbabwe since recovering from a serious eye injury sustained during the Big Bash league in Australia in January.

Samuels, who finished with career-best figures of four for 13 in the first innings and who struck a fluent 51 before falling on the stroke of lunch on the second day, says his mission is to reach three figures. “I’m looking for the three-figures. I bowled well for the team so I’m working towards three-figures and setting the team in a good position to win the Test match,” said Samuels in an interview after the first day’s play.

“We want to make it five Test wins in a row so we have a lot of work left to do in this game”. Samuels had a purple patch with the bat last year as he starred in all three formats. In Tests he had scores of 86, 117, 76 not out and 76 on the tour of England; 123 and 52 against New Zealand in Jamaica; and a career-best 260 against Bangladesh in Khulna.

“You can call me the comeback kid. I have made a lot of comebacks in my career and today was another example of that. The welcome was wonderful so it was just for me to come back and fit in,” Samuels said. “I have fun whatever I do in cricket... I just enjoy what I do. They call me ‘lucky arm’ now that I’m picking up wickets. It’s a lovely feeling to be back in the game.” Samuels was also outstanding in the field on the opening day by holding on to a stunning one-handed catch at gully and taking a wicket with his first ball. CMC