Marlon Samuels has finally come off age - Opinion
For a side such as the West Indies, with a crippled domestic circuit, sporadic performances and a dearth of quality players, it is easy to bypass those who have made a significant contribution to the current side which has been in tatters. Other names are
glorified for their individual brilliance such as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KA-Pollard-c1754. These players tend to take the headlines for reasons other than their performances at times. What needs to be noted in light of the state
of ‘free-fall’ that the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 has been witnessing, is how one controversial figure has outperformed with wit and class of late.
It is perhaps ironic according to many cricket observers that http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Marlon-Nathaniel-Samuels-c74804 has strung in a consistent set of performances and has gotten as far as he did. Yet what has been on display is a man who has matured into the responsibility of anchoring his team
when the going gets tough for them. Even in the recently concluded tour of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013, Samuels was by a distance, the best West Indian batsman. He notched up scores which not only gave him plenty of satisfaction but also provided substance to the West Indies
in terms of competing against the best side in the world in their own den.
His century at Trent Bridge for example, helped the West Indies post a respectable 370 in their first innings, after they were tottering at 136 for 6 at one stage. That innings along with a series of consistent performances against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754, helped Samuels
mature into one of the main batsmen for his side alongside the likes of Gayle and Chanderpaul. Nowadays the opposition has to dislodge Samuels early if they are to stand a chance against the Windies.
It is remarkable that Samuels has gotten so far. Like many of his contemporaries, he had the style and talent, but at the same time, had disciplinary issues both on and off the field. Allegations of match fixing which surfaced in 2008 dented his safe passage
and became a bloat that was associated with Samuels forever. For a man that has had to bear the brunt of criticism from many quarters, it is commendable that Samuels could play an innings of substance when it was required by his side.
In the English tour of 2012, he amassed an astonishing 386 runs in five innings. Similarly, in his side’s recent routing of New Zealand, Samuels was by a distance the most important player on either side. His century and half century in the second innings
of the second Test was instrumental in ensuring that the West Indies snatches a rare series victory. He plays beautifully too, and his defensive technique is on par with any technically solid batsman in the world today.
There is an old adage that learning is a process which one comes to realize after significant hurdles. Samuels is one case study that fits into that perfectly. Many players, who commit follies in their early days, tend to come of age when adversity strikes
them. One can think of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 who was embroiled in several controversies, before he began to exhibit the discipline that was expected of him at the start of his career. It may be too late by the end of it, but for Samuels it is something
that would help erode his negative image both domestically and internationally. Some rookies tend to be swayed by the liberties that sport offers. For others, temporary pleasure makes way for long term success.
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