PROVIDENCE, Guyana (CMC) – All suggestions about Darren Sammy’s place in the West Indies being shaky, and his position of captain being tenuous were greatly rebuffed on Sunday.
The West Indies captain took five wickets for the fourth time in a Test, as his side grabbed their first Test victory in two years, when they prevailed over Pakistan by 40 runs in the low-scoring first Test inside four days at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence
Sammy finished with the impressive figures of five for 29 from 17 overs, finishing with match figures of seven for 45, and earning the Man-of-the-Match award.
“Once I step on to the field wearing that West Indies cap, I give my heart and soul,” he said.
“I know things have not been going too well for me lately, but I still had the self-belief to go out there and do well – and so did my team-mates.”
The victory meant that West Indies took a 1-0 lead in the two-match series, killing Pakistan’s dreams of their first-ever Test series victory on Caribbean soil.
The result also ended a sequence of 17 straight Tests for West Indies without a victory, stretching back to February 2009, when they crushed England by an innings and 23 runs at Sabina Park in Jamaica.
It was also Sammy’s first victory since he was placed in charge of the side last November.
“This is all about West Indies cricket,” said Sammy.
“We as a team needed this performance, this victory, and I can’t stop commending the effort of the guys – every single person that batted on such a difficult pitch to put us in this position.
“It was a total team effort, and it was good to come out on the right side of the result for a change.”
Ravi Rampaul supported Sammy in the second-innings demolition, finishing with four for 48 from 21 overs, ending a memorable Test with match figures of seven for 75.
“The work Ravi has been doing with our coach Ottis Gibson has helped him to come a long way,” said Sammy.
“He has showed him different techniques. He is fully fit, and it is showing in his bowling – the kind of work he has been putting in over the last year.
“It was a tough decision between Fidel and him, but it showed the hard work he has been doing, and he was rewarded for it (in this match).”
Rampaul said in a separate interview, his performance and the West Indies’ victory were a major boost to his career.
“For a while in my career, I was ‘the water boy’, and things weren’t happening for me, but this result goes to show what can happen when you have faith in yourself and when those around you give you the support,” he said.
“Every ball I bowled out there, I received support from everyone on the field, and I was able to feed off that. This is truly a great result for the West Indies team, and overall West Indies cricket.”
The second Test begins on Friday at Warner Park in the St Kitts capital of Basseterre.