West Indies cricket going back to top, says Samuels

Kingston: Batsman Marlon Samuels wants to relive the glory days of West Indies cricket, when they would beat the other teams black and blue, and confidently says the current team`s performance is only going to head north.

"Right now we demand a lot of respect in the world (as) our cricket is going back on top. The great thing about West Indies cricket is that we are competing and winning games, not like back when we were losing games," the right-handed batsman was quoted as saying by `Jamaica Observer`.

Samuels was the pivot around which the West Indies triumphed in the T20 World Cup final on a balmy October evening in Colombo last year. He made a mockery of Lasith Malinga and Co to almost singlehandedly guide the team to the title.

Samuels, 32, who was named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year for an outstanding 2012 season, noted that the fans` support is helping the West Indies.

"The fans are coming back and that is motivating us to want to win more cricket (matches), win back the fans` hearts and our West Indies cricket back on top.

"The team is a good all round team and we are playing some good cricket (it`s) just for us to always come together from the different islands and make a strong unit," he emphasized.

"We need to have more match winners and get balls in the areas consistently. But we are growing stronger as a unit and getting there as a group and with the strength in the group, in the long run, (you) will see us winning games non-stop and beating the best teams in the world," said Samuels.

Having played in almost all of the T20 competitions across the world, Samuels is familiar with the top players from both India and Sri Lanka and he`s hoping to do well for the hosts in the ongoing tri-nation ODI series.

"I am still in good form, been scoring runs non-stop, so I want to come out here and do this one again for Jamaica and the Caribbean," he pointed out.

PTI ---------------------- ZEENEWS.com