Last Thursday, the International Cricket Council (ICC), the sport’s world governing body, announced that former West Indies One Day International (ODI) Captain Marlon Samuels had been banned from cricket for six years after he was found guilty in August by an independent anti-corruption tribunal of breaching four counts of the ICC anti-corruption code. The charges against Samuels, which were initially announced in 2021, stem from a stint four years ago in the Abu Dhabi Ten10 League, in the United Arab Emirates.
The 42-year-old former all-rounder, who last played for the West Indies in 2018, had been found guilty by majority decision of failing to disclose “the receipt of any gift, payment, hospitality or other benefit that could bring him or the game into disrepute”, at a hearing in August of this year. The three-member tribunal found Samuels guilty by unanimous decision of violating the anti-corruption code of the Emirates Cricket Board on three counts; failing to disclose receipt of hospitality with a value of US$750 or more, failing to cooperate with the investigation, and obstructing or delaying the investigation by concealing information that may have been relevant. On the latter count, Samuels had refused to hand over his mobile phone. The ICC Anti-Corruption Unit had sought a ‘top-end’ punishment of ten years.
“Samuels played international cricket for close to two decades, during which he participated in numerous anti-corruption sessions and knew exactly what his obligations were under the anti-corruption codes,” stated Alex Marshall, General Manager of the ICC HR and Integrity Unit, in a press release. He added, “Though he is retired now, Mr Samuels was a participant when the offences were committed. The ban of six years will act as a strong deterrent to any participant who intends to break the rules.”
This is Samuels’ second brush with the ICC, and umpteenth occasion that his boorish behaviour has brought shame on West Indies cricket. In 2008, the ICC imposed a two-year ban on Samuels after he was caught on tape passing on match-related information to an Indian bookmaker during the West Indies 2006/2007 Tour of India. Here are two excerpts, worthy of note, from the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack match report from the first ODI played at Nagpur on 21st January, 2007.
“India scraped home in a match of 662 runs, the most for any one-day international in India”…
“Lara’s decision to field and his choice of off-spinner Samuels as first change as early as the tenth over, raised eyebrows – they were later talking points in the match fixing investigation – but the rock-hard surface ensured it was the batsmen’s day.” West Indies lost by 14 runs.
Samuels duly returned in 2011 to wear the Maroon colours once again, appearing in Test matches until 2016, and limited-overs international until 2018. Samuels, who played 71 Tests, 207 ODIs and 67 Twenty20 Internationals, finished his controversy-riddled career with over 11,000 runs in international cricket. Among his highlights in West Indian colours were two unforgettable Man-of-the Match innings in back-to-back World T20 finals. In the 2012 edition against Sri Lanka, Samuels plundered 78 off 56 balls to single-handedly ensure a West Indies victory. Four years later, his 66-ball 85 laid the table for Carlos Brathwaite to swot England’s Ben Stokes for four consecutive sixes to clinch the trophy in the final over. After the latter instance, the oft ill-mannered Samuels propped his still padded legs up on the table at the post match press conference, and proceeded to insult Shane Warne, the former Australian leg spinner, who was then a commentator. This uncouth display of machismo by a seasoned international only served to sour the moment for a West Indies team revelling in a rare triumph.
On Thursday, the day of the ICC’s statement, there were three announcements on the ‘Latest News’ section of the official website of Cricket West Indies (CWI); “Bowlers give West Indies chance heading into final day” – a report from West Indies A versus South Africa A, “CWI announces Macron as the new technical partner and official team kit supplier of the West Indies Teams”, “Special events in Antigua: WI legends, beach dinners, and pool parties” – events planned to coordinate with the upcoming English Tour in December. As of writing, there has been no acknowledgement or official statement from CWI, which is probably hoping this latest fiasco will blow over sooner or later.
Alas, the CWI will need all hands on deck to be prepared for the ensuing possible fallout from this banishment which has finally emerged. For years, there has been speculation of the involvement of West Indies players in match fixing, or more specifically spot fixing, as pertaining to specific actions and decisions within the game, which did, or didn’t, have a direct influence on the final outcome of matches. However, these acts would have created enough strife to compromise the integrity of the game, and as such, qualified as match fixing under the ICC’s Code of Conduct.
CWI does not have to wait for its ‘Floyd Landis moment’; the dominoes have already begun to fall. Landis, is a former world class cyclist, who won the 2006 Tour de France race, only to become a year later, the first man in the 103-year history of the gruelling event, to be stripped of the title for a doping conviction. On the 30th April, 2010, Landis sent an email to Steve Johnson, the then CEO of USA Cycling, detailing year by year how Landis, seven-time winner of the Tour de France, Lance Armstrong, and other members of the United States Postal Service team had used illegal drugs and methods to dominate the sport of cycling. The subsequent consequences of that infamous email are history, but serve to remind us all that at some stage, someone with the evidence will speak. It is not a matter of if, but rather when.
It is hoped that younger members of the current West Indies teams of all formats, and the players on the horizon have taken note of this disturbing development, especially the ICC’s harsh punishment, and that it will serve as both a warning and a deterrent. Senior players in the twilight of their careers, should be wary of the temptation to “cash in” at this time. Active and upcoming players, who, no doubt, have seen the videos posted on YouTube by Samuels over the years, showboating his opulent lifestyle of a six-bedroom mansion replete with swimming pool and luxury cars, should remember as is said in local parlance, “what sweet in goat mouth, does sour in he bam bam.”
Samuels, as expected, full of confidence, which is often perceived as arrogance, is going down swinging for the fences. He responded to the confirmation of the ICC sentence with a lengthy post on Instagram in which he belligerently criticised the ICC, included supportive comments from his followers, and highlights from his innings in the 2012 World T20 final in Colombo. Some people, consumed by their delusion of grandeur and wallowing in a pool of self importance just never get it.
As a young phenom, with only seven first-class games under his belt, Samuels was fast tracked on to the international arena in 2000, making both his Test and ODI debut as a 19-year-old. In 2001, his first full calendar year, Samuels, a rare talent with a bat, compiled 664 ODI runs – an eighth of his career – including five 50s. He was on a path to join the company of all time great West Indian batsmen, the likes of Headley, the Three W’s, Sobers and Kanhai. Alas, self-proclaimed ‘The Icon’, Marlon Samuels, through his self-destructive choices, has been condemned to the Hall of Shame. It is expected that CWI will soon declare his expulsion from the game in the Caribbean.
