Samuels Has The Big Dream

(Jamaica Observer)

What are we to make of a young man who walks around for two years with a tiny bit of tattered rag given to him by Steve Waugh? Seems to me he has the big dream!

Marlon Samuels' batting in that final one-dayer in India was extraordinary, to say the least, and much has been said and written about it. In truth though, those of us who have watched the 21 year-old Samuels down the years would have known that once he kept his head, batting such as he showed in that one-dayer and in his maiden Test century two weeks before that, was bound to come.

He will be under pressure now to keep going in like manner, and again, once he keeps his head and stays fit, he will do it. Why? Because he is a batsman of exceptional talent.

That's the reason the former Mike Findlay-led selection committee flew him to Australia two years ago when many, including a host of knowledgable Jamaicans, thought they were asking a boy to do a man's job.

His obvious talent is also the reason the new Vivian Richards-led panel chose him for the India/Bangladesh tour, though he had only played a few Red Stripe Bowl limited-overs games, having just recovered from serious knee surgery.

Those close to him say he came back to cricket after the operation like a new man -- constantly assessing his game, his strengths and weaknesses, the opposition and the conditions.

For me the 'rag episode' reveals a side to Samuels' personality that should make bowlers fret. Let's face it, very few of us would have kept that piece of cloth for two years for any reason -- no matter who gave it to us.

Let's hope he keeps his head and stays fit.

There is now the highly intriguing prospect of Samuels, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Ricardo Powell, Daren Ganga etc moving from strength to strength and competing for places. All this with Shivnarine Chanderpaul set and Brian Lara and regular captain, Carl Hooper, to come back from illness and injury before the World Cup in February.

The selectors and the WICB decided they wouldn't experiment and went for Ridley Jacobs to lead the side in Bangladesh. Given all things, their conservatism is understandable. But surely a tour of Bangladesh was the ideal opportunity to test a young captain.

Indeed, I think it would have made sense to rest Jacobs completely with the World Cup in mind and give a young 'keeper a run in Bangladesh. With the best will in the world, the ever-trying, hard-working Jacobs at 35 is not quite the wicketkeeper/batsman he used to be. Yet as the only 'keeper on every tour, he has to play in every match -- a sure recipe for burn-out.

By their reluctance to try someone new, the selectors now run the risk of having to replace Jacobs at very short notice in high-level competition with either a proven failure or the completely unproven.

The explosive contribution of Jermaine Lawson in that final one-dayer underlined once again that there really is no substitute for pace. We can be sure that the very determined Darren Powell will be dead set on making his own mark and possibly grabbing a spot in the World Cup squad, once he gets half a chance in Bangladesh.

And while we are on about the World Cup, Hooper has already made the point and we should take note: conditions in South Africa are going to be very, very different from those on the Indian sub-continent.

The pitches in South Africa will have grass, bounce and pace. Seamers and pacers should find themselves with much more reason to smile. And, batsmen who went to town on the flat, low surfaces in India will have to adjust or fail.

* SOURCE: Jamaica Observer.