Marlon Samuels hitting out for the maximum during Saturday's second One-Day International against Sri Lanka at the Queen's Park Oval. (Picture by Brooks LaTouche.)

by HAYDN GILL in Trinidad

MARLON SAMUELS has been a mere imitation over the past few weeks of the quality batsman he can be, but his West Indies coach could have sensed an imminent return to form.

After five successive failures in both forms
of the game, Samuels responded to public calls for his axing with a shot-filled unbeaten 54 in West Indies' series-winning victory over Sri Lanka in the second Digicel One-Day International at Queen's Park Oval
on Saturday.

It was an outstanding display that helped the hosts to an easy seven wicket win under the Duckworth/Lewis method and it earned high praises from coach John Dyson.

"People have been asking about him and I've been saying all along that in the nets Marlon has looked in great form. Within himself, he has been relaxed and confident about his ability,"
Dyson said.

"It was a superb innings. He played under a bit of pressure because of all the talk that has been going on and because we lost a couple of wickets
with the new ball.

"He played the match perfectly.
It just goes to show that Marlon has great skill.
We all know that.
We love to watch him when he is in form."

After scores of 5, 10, 3 and 11 in the two-match Test series and a first-ball duck in the opening ODI, there were calls for Samuels to make way for either Runako Morton or Kieron Pollard, but the selectors kept faith with the embattled Jamaican.

With West Indies facing a challenge at 18 for three in the sixth over when chasing a target of 125 off 25 overs in a rain-affected match, Samuels joined in-form Shivnarine Chanderpaul and the pair combined for an unbroken fourth-wicket partnership of 107 for 88 balls that sealed victory with 4.3 overs in reserve.

It was West Indies' second successive victory that guaranteed them
the series before tomorrow's day/night match at the Beausejour Stadium in St Lucia.

"Winning the series
is very important.
At international level
your aim is to win the series," Dyson said.

Working hard

"Our group of guys has been working hard for some time and I'm really pleased for them that they've been able to put it together in front of their home crowd."

West Indies made three changes from the team that played in the opening match, one of which was forced on them because
of illness to wicket-keeper/batsman Patrick Browne.

With a big 16-man squad available, there might be an opportunity for those who have not played yet to get a chance in the final match, but Dyson said a short series presented limitations.

"In a three-match series, rotation systems are extremely difficult.
In a five-match series
you might look at it more carefully," the coach said.

"We will approach
St Lucia with wanting
to win the game.
As far as I'm concerned, it's a three-match
series, if you can
win it 3-0 that's
great, you try
and sweep the series whenever you can."