As a 19 year old on a tour of Australia in 2000, Marlon Samuels impressed Steve Waugh enough for the old warrior to give him a piece of his lucky red handkerchief.
In the decade and a half since, however, Samuels's performances became synonymous with West Indian cricket's decline. He averages 33.53 after 64 Tests, and 34.08 after 177 ODIs – scarcely numbers you would associate with a great of the game.
But in this particular format, Samuels can point to two of the greatest innings ever played. In Colombo in 2012, against Sri Lanka, the hosts, on a tricky pitch, Samuels came to the crease to face the sixth ball after Johnson Charles had gone for a duck. On Sunday night, Charles departed for one, off the seventh ball of the innings.
Read more: Carlos Brathwaite leads West Indies past England to win World Twenty20 final thriller
Photo gallery: Marlon Samuels and Carlos Brathwaite star for West Indies in World Twenty20 final
In Colombo, West Indies did a tortoise crawl to 32 for two at halfway. Samuels was completely unfazed. As the balls ticked away, he started to open up, eventually smashing six sixes and three fours on his way to a 56-ball 78. West Indies made 105 runs in the final 10 overs, and won easily as Sri Lanka disintegrated much like the pitch.
This effort topped even that.
The target of 156 had not seemed an unduly stiff one, but West Indies were 21 for three after five overs and 54 for three at halfway. Samuels had eased to 37 off 34 by then. By the time the last six overs began, they needed a further 70, with Samuels batting on 50.
Darren Sammy and the West Indies team management have repeatedly stressed how the dot balls do not bother them, that they trust their big-hitting skills to come through when they are most needed. Part of that skill lies in knowing when to ‘go’, and when Liam Plunkett came on to bowl the 15th over, Samuels made his move.
The first ball was heaved over mid-on for four. The last two were smacked over the rope straight down the ground. Nothing unorthodox or inventive, just traditional shot struck with awesome power.
West Indies seemed back on track, with 52 needed from 30 balls. But David Willey, who conceded just one four all night, and Chris Jordan bowled exceptional overs to heap the pressure back on the batsmen.
Andre Russell, one of the heroes of the semi-final win against India, and Sammy fell cheaply, and with Brathwaite taking time to get used to the pace of the pitch, Samuels also seemed unsure of what tactics do adopt. He started the penultimate over, bowled by Jordan, with a powerful loft down to long-off, but Jordan closed out the over superbly to leave West Indies with 19 to get.
The man on strike was Carlos Brathwaite, 27 years old, but playing only his 17th international game across formats. When the over began, he had made 10 from six balls.
Up against him was Ben Stokes, whose bowling at the death in the semi-final against New Zealand had earned such praise.
The first ball was a poor one, drifting down leg side. Brathwaite helped it along, with plenty of muscle, over the square-leg fence. The next three were on the stumps, and fast. Each was pulverised. Three delicious connections, each in the batsman’s V, each soaring over the rope.
At the non-striker’s end, Samuels watched, smiled and celebrated. He had made 85 from 66 balls. His job was done, his place in history secure.
sports@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport
