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Sammy strives for permanent place

The West Indies bowler has said his determination to perform well at the international level stems from the fear that every game he plays may be his last

Cricinfo staff
11-Mar-2010
"I am competing with [Dwayne] Bravo, who is one of our senior players, so it's always difficult to cement my place in the squad."  •  DigicelCricket.com/Brooks LaTouche Photography

"I am competing with [Dwayne] Bravo, who is one of our senior players, so it's always difficult to cement my place in the squad."  •  DigicelCricket.com/Brooks LaTouche Photography

West Indies bowler Darren Sammy has said his determination to perform well at the international level stems from the fear that every game he plays may be his last.
"It's a constant reminder that this could be my last game so I have to go out and do well for myself and the region," Sammy said. "I am competing with [Dwayne] Bravo, who is one of our senior players, so it's always difficult to cement my place in the squad. It's up to me to go out there and be consistent in my performances and that's what I'm striving to do."
Sammy, 26, was at the forefront of West Indies' emphatic 141-run victory in the third ODI against Zimbabwe in Kingstown. He picked up 4 for 26 during West Indies' defence of 245 to take the Man-of-the-Match award and, more importantly, give the hosts a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
"Today the wicket had some grass on it and it was aiding seam bowling," Sammy said. "I was getting some movement off the seam and we put the ball in the right areas and we got results."
Having taken 5 for 26 against the same opponents in the lone Twenty20 international earlier, and 7 for 66 against England on his Test debut, he narrowly missed becoming the first West Indian to take five-fors in all three formats of the game at the international level. However, he said the only way he could become a fixture in the side was to improve with every performance.
"I have to keep improving so that I can be a permanent fixture in the eleven and in the West Indies squad. So far I have been doing a good job in terms of doing the job I have been asked to do. In Test cricket I have three five-wicket hauls, one in Twenty20 and I almost got one here today in a 50-over game."
Sammy would have had five wickets had captain Chris Gayle not dropped a relatively straightforward catch at slip from Graeme Cremer, having earlier taken a superb one-handed effort to dismiss Greg Lamb off Kemar Roach. However, he praised Sammy's effort which ensured the win.
"Well done Darren Sammy, he could have got five wickets and it was my fault he didn't," Gayle said. "It was definitely a team effort and I am very happy with the result. I am sure Zimbabwe will come back hard at us and we shouldn't get carried away now."