“(Competing for my place) is a constant reminder that this could be my last game so I have to go out and do well for myself and the region,” Sammy told journalists after the match which the Windies won handsomely by 141 runs to take a 2-1 lead in the five match Digicel Series.
“I am competing with (Dwayne) Bravo who is one of our senior players so it’s always difficult to cement my place in the squad. It’s up to me to go out there and be consistent in my performances and that’s what I’m striving to do,” Sammy explained.
The strapping 26 year old St Lucian all rounder said that the only way he can become a fixture in the regional side is to improve with every performance.
“I have to keep improving so that I can be a permanent fixture in the eleven and in the West Indies squad,” Sammy said after his 4 for 26 from 10 overs at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex which led the Windies in bowling out Zimbabwe for 104 as they chased 246 for victory.
Sammy though is encouraged by the fact that he has managed to execute the team plans more often than not.
“So far I have been doing a good job in terms of doing the job I have been asked to do. In Test cricket I have three 5 wicket hauls, one in Twenty20 and I almost got one here today in a fifty over game,” highlighted Sammy who narrowly missed becoming the first West Indian to take a five wicket haul in all three formats of the game at the international level.
Had Captain Chris Gayle hung on to a catch in the final over of Sammy’s spell he would have taken a fifth wicket to register the record.
“My job is to put the ball in the right areas and create pressure and whether the wickets fall at my end or at the other end it is beneficial to the team,” Sammy explained.
“Today the wicket had some grass on it and it was aiding seam bowling. I was getting some movement off the seam and we put the ball in the right areas and we got results,” Sammy said.
In his last Twenty20 appearance for the Windies – against Zimbabwe in Trinidad two weeks ago – Sammy took 5 for 26 from 3.5 overs.
On his Test debut in 2007, Sammy took 7 for 66 against England at Old Trafford. In his last appearance at Arnos Vale Sammy took 5 for 70 in a Test match against Bangladesh in 2009.
