PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Trinidad and Tobago’s cricket chief has continued to throw his support behind new West Indies captain Darren Sammy.
Baldath Mahabir, also a West Indies Cricket Board director, said he had always supported the 26-year-old all-rounder’s elevation and was looking forward to more from him next year. “The other main contenders for the captaincy eliminated themselves by not accepting the central retainer contracts and Sammy in my view was the best of the lot that remained. I am a supporter of Sammy and I am looking forward to good things from him. I think that his heart and head is in the right place and he wants to do well for the West Indies,” said Mahabir.

Sammy took charge of the regional side for the first time on the just concluded Test tour of Sri Lanka, which finished in a nil-all stalemate after rain ravaged the series.

West Indies, who have never won a series in Sri Lanka, gave a strong showing in the first Test in Galle as they piled up 580 for nine declared in the first innings behind Chris Gayle’s monumental 333.

And though the remaining Tests in Colombo and Kandy were badly affected by adverse weather, the tourists had reason to smile with a few encouraging individual performances.

Mahabir said despite the rain-ravaged series, he had seen signs of progress from the regional squad.

“We have to be happy with any positive movement right now and we are really looking forward to the team doing even better. Although the series was affected badly by rain we saw a lot from the team that was positive and hopefully they can build on it” he noted.

The West Indies will return to Sri Lanka next month to contest the limited overs as well as the T20 series against their opponents, a series coach Otis Gibson said would serve as part of their preparation for the 2011 ICC World Cup.