Trailing England by 58 runs on first innings, West Indies plummeted to 61 for six at the close of the third day at Trent Bridge, a lead of just three runs overall.
Samuels was unbeaten on 13 and Sammy was yet to score at the close, leaving the pair with another Herculean repair job today.
“It’s tough watching your top six batsmen get out like this after the bowlers worked so hard in the first two sessions, but that’s the way the games goes,” Rampaul said.
“The two batsmen at the crease – Samuels and Sammy – both scored hundreds in the first innings, so we are still a confident bunch of guys.”
“Hopefully, Samuels and Sammy can apply themselves and get us out of the spot of bother in which we find ourselves.”
Sammy and Samuels performed a similar rescue act in the first innings, both striking centuries in a record seventh wicket partnership of 204, to pull the Windies around from the brink of disaster at 136 for six.
Rampaul said West Indies had done well to limit England to 428 all out after the hosts resumed on 259 for two, but their batting plans had not gone according to plan.
“We were hoping to get through the final session without the loss of any wickets to be in a position to build an innings and try to get a total that would allow us to bowl at England again,” the Trinidadian explained.
“It’s not easy bowling 120-odd overs trying to get a team bowled out and then look at your batsmen not applying themselves.
“I do not fault any one of them, but I will do my part to give them confidence and ask them to focus more, apply themselves a little bit more, and eventually they will get there.”
West Indies’ top four have struggled throughout the series, leaving the bulk of the run-scoring to the middle and lower order.
Rampaul believes the visitors could try to emulate the discipline of the English batsmen.
“I think our batsmen are trying really hard, but I think they need to be a little more patient,” he said.
“I think they need to take a page out of the book of the English batsmen, leave a lot of balls and wait for the opportunity to score.”
