Marlon Samuels savours return from ban

	Marlon Samuels returns to play for his regional side Jamaica against USA © Associated Press Enlarge
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Marlon Samuels, the West Indies and Jamaica batsman, has said his "love for the game" kept his hopes for a comeback alive during his two-year ban for links to an Indian bookmaker. Samuels, who has maintained his innocence, returned to play for his regional side Jamaica against USA in a one-day game in Florida. He failed to fire in that game but followed up with a half-century in a Twenty20 game against the hosts.

Samuels was banned by a West Indies Cricket Board disciplinary committee in 2008 for discussing team information with Mukesh Kochar and later approaching him to pay a hotel bill. "After 735 days to be back playing the game that I love to get fifty today was wonderful," he told Reuters. "I have had a wonderful welcome from the Jamaican team and it is so good to be back."

Samuels was barred from all cricket and spent much of his couple of years away from the game training for a successful return. "It was tough but at the end of the day, the Almighty doesn't give anyone a challenge that they can't bear," he said. "It was most definitely unfair but I have to put that behind me and move forward.

"My love for the game kept me going, my love for the game is never dying so I just continued to practice and work as hard as possible.

"I knew the ban would come to an end and I would come back and carry on where I left off. I have my own personal bowling machine which I invested in and I also have never had a shortage of people who would come and bowl to me."

Samuels said he had been in constant touch with Chris Gayle, his Jamaica team-mate and West Indies captain, and was not short of encouragement. "I'm dealing with the future like I dealt with the last two years, just taking it in my stride. I'm in good nick, so I'm just looking to continue scoring runs and hope my runs will put where I deserve to be.

"Encouragement is always there. Chris is my best friend, we keep communicating and talk about cricket continuously. West Indies aren't doing well at the moment but we can only improve."