All-rounder Marlon Samuels is predictinga cricket revival in the Caribbean as a result of the West Indies' recent titletriumph at the ICC World Twenty/20 tournament in Sri Lanka.
Samuels, who played a leading role in the Windies victoryover Sri Lanka in the finals, says he believes his side's success, will magnifycricket's appeal in the region, CMC reports.
Samuels's comments have echoed the views of many officialsand cricket enthusiasts alike in the wake of the West Indies inspiring 36-runwin over the home side to claim the trophy.
"That's why I play so hard because I know that having aworld title will bring back a lot of things," said Samuels in an exclusiveinterview with the Gleaner Tuesday.
"My role is to take it as serious as possible and workas hard as possible so that I can inspire others to the game and to reach to mylevel because cricket has its own superstars as well."
Some analysts believe cricket in the Caribbean is on thebrink of resurgence after years in the doldrums.
Samuels says his side's latest success will serve torekindled interest in the sport especially among kids.
"I think kids lost a lot of interest in the gamebecause there wasn't enough hope," Samuels said before going on tour withWest Indies.
"They had lost all hope, the West Indies team wasn't doingtoo well."
The 31-year-old Jamaican also lamented the earning potentialof cricketers who compete in the domestic season in the region.
He pointed to Australia as an example of a regional wherecricketers who do not make the national side can earn a living playing in thedomestic league.
"In the West Indies, you are taking a chance with yourlife coming out of high school and saying that you are going to play cricket.There are no guarantees and if you look at the countless players who come infor one game and get thrown out, it's amazing," said Samuels, one ofseveral West Indies cricketers drafted into the most lucrative Twenty20competitions around the world such as the Indian Premier League and the BigBash in Australia.
"I have seen more than 50 players come and go; some maycome on a one tour, fail and never make it back, while others play two gamesand that's it."
Samuels is currently on tour with the West Indies team,which begun the first of two Tests against Bangladesh Tuesday.