'Comeback Kid' Samuels Delighted With Impact

'Comeback Kid' Samuels Delighted With Impact

Marlon Samuels (centre) leaves the field after his four-wicket haul helped West Indies dismiss Zimbabwe for 211 on the opening day in Barbados

©WICB Media Photo/Randy Brooks

Marlon Samuels marked his latest comeback to international cricket by taking career-best figures of four for 13 on day one of West Indies' first Test against Zimbabwe in Barbados.

He took a wicket with his first ball and held on to a stunning catch early in the innings to remove Hamilton Masakadza as Zimbabwe were bowled out for 211.

After taking the wickets of Craig Ervine, Graeme Cremer, Kyle Jarvis and Tendai Chatara, Samuels said:

"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.

"The wicket with my first ball was great. He (Ervine) just pushed the wrong line and missed it.

"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."

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Samuels missed the limited overs matches against Zimbabwe but would have been one of the first names on the team sheet after his rich run of form with the bat in 2012, which culminated in a career-best 260 against Bangladesh in November.

Already looking ahead to his batting, he added: "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. We want to make it five Test wins in a row so we have a lot of work left to do in this game."

While Samuels took four wickets, fellow off-spinner Shane Shillingford also excelled following a spell away from the side, with two for 58.

"Everyone was looking (for us) to blast out the Zimbabwe batsman, but that didn't happen today," Samuels said. "There was some wonderful bowling by Shillingford. He showed that the slower you bowled on the wicket you could also get some bounce as well and he did a great job. After Zimbabwe faced our fast bowlers, maybe they became a bit relaxed against our slower bowlers."

West Indies will begin day two on 18 for two, 194 runs behind Zimbabwe.

© Cricket World 2013