JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, CMC – West Indies Twenty20 captain Darren Sammy on Thursday evaded the contentious issue of the abandoned tour of India, after arriving here to represent Titans in the Ram Slam Twenty20 League.
The all-rounder was a member of the one-day squad which quit the tour in protest over unsatisfactory terms and conditions of new playing contracts.
“I am not short of cricket, as we played in India. I don’t really want to talk about the [abandoned] tour,” Sammy said. “We have always engaged well with India, and we have had a good relationship with them.”
West Indies pulled out of the tour following the fourth ODI in Dharamsala, refusing to play the final game in Kolkata and the one-off Twenty20 in Cuttack.
The three-Test series, which had been scheduled to start October 30th, was also scuppered as a result of the players’ actions.
Ironically, four of the five West Indies players who will campaign in the Ram Slam were members of the ill-fated tour. Kieron Pollard will turn out for Cape Cobras, Dwayne Bravo will represent Dolphins while Andre Russell will suit up for Knights.
Superstar Chris Gayle is the only player involved in the Ram Slam not to tour India – because of injury – and will line up Highveld Lions.
Sammy said they were all looking forward to the campaign which gets underway Sunday.
“T20 cricket is something we enjoy. My teammates and I are excited to be here. Who wouldn’t be? South Africa is a wonderful place to play cricket,” Sammy explained.
“T20-cricket is all about expressing yourself. The West Indians have taken this style of cricket on board. I think I will like to play in South Africa, where the ball comes onto the bat quicker.”
Sammy will be called upon for his explosive late order batting which has been a feature of his cricket in recent years. However, he believes his medium pace can also be an asset.
“I have always tried to bowl dot balls. As we say: a dot is as good as gold in T20-cricket. If I bowl dot balls, I build pressure,” he said.
Titans will clash with Pollard’s Cape Cobras in one three matches on Sunday’s opening day.
