Marlon Samuels dismisses rumours about refusal to join WC squad

(Jamaica Observer) Marlon Samuels has shrugged off suggestions he refused the offer to replace the injured Dwayne Bravo in the West Indies World Cup team out of fear of being charged by police authorities in India.

Marlon Samuels

Moments after arriving with the Jamaica cricket team on Wednesday at the Norman Manley International Airport from their trip to the Eastern Caribbean, the batting stylist re-emphasised his wish to participate in the entire four-day season.

“I’m hearing a lot of things going around in the media about me not to wanting to go to India because of police and all these things. That’s just total garbage! I said it a month ago that I’m not ready, and I’m still not ready,” he declared.

The right-hander was banned for two years by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in May 2008 after he was found guilty of breaching their code of conduct while on tour with the West Indies team in India.

Police allegedly taped telephone conversations of Samuels passing information onto an Indian bookmaker. Despite the ICC’s guilty verdict, the former Kingston College student has always maintained his innocence. Since his return to competitive cricket last year, the stylish middle-order batsman has been in fine form, topping the runs aggregate in the Caribbean Twenty20 championships early this year.

He has also excelled in the ongoing four-day tournament, racking up three tons, including an unbeaten double in the opening round match against Guyana, to lead the charts with 595 runs at an average of 99.16.

His heroics were noted by the West Indies Cricket Board selectors, who approached him to replace Bravo at the 50-over tournament being jointly hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. After Samuels’ refusal to join the regional team, Guyanese spinner Devendra Bishoo was drafted.

Samuels insisted he declined the offer because he wanted to work at his game some more, pointing out that his priority is to dominate at the Test level.

“When the first-class season finishes I’ll see where I am. This is not about Twenty20 or 50-over cricket. I want to be able to stay in the outfield for a day-and-a-half and then go and bat for seven and eight hours.

“This (four-day cricket) is the real test and I’m going through it at the moment. When this four-day tournament is over I’ll know where I am and if I’m ready,” he added.

“I’ve set myself some targets and achieved these targets and because of that Jamaica is in a good position at the moment, so now I need to continue the hard work,” he said.

Samuels, who struck respective tons against Barbados and the Leeward Islands and managed 40 before being run out against the Windward Islands on the three-match tour of the Eastern Caribbean, told the Observer he is still hungry for more. “The journey continues and the aim is to continue scoring runs. I’ve never played a full season of first-class cricket for Jamaica because I’ve usually been in the West Indies team and coming back and playing the odd game or two.

“I’ve been putting in a lot of hard work and it’s now paying off, along with the talent that I have. Definitely I’m concentrating more and the two years (out) has done wonders for me,” he said.

Jamaica, who are three-time defending champions in the regional four-day format, lead the standings with 36 points from four matches. They are scheduled to face the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CC) in their next match, starting March 11, at Chedwin Park in St Catherine.