Two years away from all forms of cricket must have roused a beast out of hibernation in Marlon Samuels because certainly the double hundred he plundered yesterday against his West Indies counterparts was as savage as ever.
Samuels’ knock ensured the Rest Team posted 395-8 from 71.4 overs to top the 310-5 declared made by the West Indies team, led by Darren Sammy.
The Jamaican was supported by an equally aggressive half century from Christopher Barnwell (66).
Later in the innings wicketkeeper Anthony Bramble made an unbeaten 43 as the match was called off at 16:00 hours at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC).
Sammy was the most successful bowler with 3-64 from his 16 overs while Kemar Roach and Pernell London contributed 2-68 (17) and 1-60 (15.4) respectively.
Samuels had retired out on 213 after muscling 26 fours and 12 sixes off 163 balls that spanned 205 minutes. He was an insubordinate officer to his captain Darren Sammy, taking 22 runs off one over, then hitting him for a six to raise the 100-run partnership with Brendon Nash.
Samuels also hit Sammy over cover for a six to bring up his 200-run milestone. When he wasn’t being insubordinate he was imposing his will on the other bowlers.
Pacers Ravi Rampaul and Andre Russell were treated with disdain, before and after lunch, while off spinner Randy Lindore, who bowled 24 overs on the trot on Sunday, was treated with little respect by Samuels and Barnwell with 44 runs taken off his two overs.
Fast bowler Trevon Garraway, trying to resuscitate his career for Guyana, suffered the misfortune of only bowling one over after 13 runs were leaked from it. Spinner London, when introduced to the attack late yesterday afternoon, restored some of the balance to the bowling attack with his off spin.
Earlier, Samuels and Barnwell were difficult to dislodge, matching each other stroke for stroke at one point. Barnwell was not the usual erratic stroke player, rather there was maturity that underlined his selection to the West Indies team last month for the lone T20I against Pakistan in St. Lucia.
His knock perhaps was a message declaring his potential to the local selectors, who left him out of the Guyana team for the match against the touring Pakistanis. He batted sensibly before retiring not out on 66, which included 12 fours and a six, from 81 balls.
His departure broke a 189-run second wicket stand with Samuels after the team had lost the early wicket of Kraigg Brathwaithe.
This move brought Nash to the wicket and although he did not dispatch balls to all corners of the ground he turned the strike over and picked up the occasional boundary.
When he was dismissed for 31 by Sammy it triggered a decline with the loss of Jamal Hinckson (0) and Kwame Crosse (0) when the score was 330.
Bramble would assist with the repair with Ramnaresh Sarwan (18) before the game was called to a halt when Fidel Edwards was caught at mid-off off the bowling of London.
