Samuels steadies Windies ship

St. George's - Marlon Samuels averted a complete West Indies batting collapse with a classy, unbeaten 94 to lift the home side to 188 for five at stumps on a rain-affected first day of the second Test against England at the National Cricket Stadium in Grenada on Tuesday.

Playing the 100th Test innings of a career spanning more than 14 years, the elegant 34-year-old right-hander dominated a protracted final session to the extent that his unbroken 59-run sixth-wicket partnership with Denesh Ramdin has seen the captain contributing just six runs.

Samuels, who came to the crease before lunch with the West Indies unsteady after two early setbacks, never looked troubled throughout his time in the middle and maintained his excellent record against the English with an innings that was watchful for the most part before he launched into a series of extravagant strokes on Ramdin’s arrival at the wicket.