It was a confident Marlon Samuels who touched down at the Norman Manley International Airport yesterday, as he looks forward to the Jamaica leg of the Digicel Pearls one-day inter-national series.
The West Indies and Jamaican middle order batsman, who spent two years out of the game after an International Cricket Council ban, made his return last year and is playing in only his second series since.
“Everybody appreciates me coming back, so it is just for me to continue putting in the hard work and show the world what I can do, but everything takes time,” Samuels shared. “My cricket is basically taking time, but once I get the flow going there is no turning back and most definitely I will be unstoppable.
“The greatest thing is that I am back, and I am in international cricket, so I guess everything else will fall into place,” he added.
Despite the West Indies being 3-1 down in the five match ODI series, Samuels believes the team is a good one and it is just a matter of time before they start winning consistently.
“It is a good team, it is a happy team and we are gelling together; it is just for us to get the complete cricket going; batting, bowling and fielding and just try to win more games,” Samuels expressed. “We have to get accustomed to winning, and that is what this team is trying to do because the hard work is there, it is just for us to start winning more games,” he added.
The 30-year-old Samuels is looking forward to playing in Jamaica in front of his home crowd and intends to put on a show for them.
“Coming here to Jamaica, I am definitely looking forward to playing here; it is home,” Samuels highlighted. “I am here to entertain my fans, so I am definitely pumped up right now and ready to come and show Jamaica what they have been missing for a long time,” he added.
The part-time off-spinner who averages 28.84 runs in 30 Test matches is looking forward to playing the longer version of the game if picked for the Test series, which begins on June 20.
“Coming back after a long layoff from cricket, I am most definitely looking forward to playing the longer version,” Samuels said. “I have been playing some one day cricket, but the longer version will put me in a better rhythm,” he added.
