London, England – West Indies captain Darren Sammy revealed that rookie spinner Garey Mathurin told him he would take "four wickets for 10 runs" before England started their innings in Sunday’s second and final T20 International at the Kia Oval.
Mathurin, a left-arm spinner debuting two days after celebrating his 28th birthday, almost fulfilled the promise and ended with the remarkable figures of three wickets for nine runs off four overs. All three victims were cleaned bowled. The Windies shot out England for 88 after making 113 for five, to win by 25 runs and level the two-match series.
"Before we left the dressing room he told me he would get four wickets, and for just ten runs. He wasn’t smiling, he wasn’t joking. He was quite serious about what he was saying and he was quite determined to achieve it," Sammy said.
"He didn’t get four for 10 but the three for nine at the top of the innings did the job for the team and helped us get a remarkable win."
Sammy added: "It was a really great start to his international career. Under such pressure, to open the bowling, use the new ball and deliver in such a convincing way, was truly great to see. I played a lot with him in the St Lucia team and for the Windward Islands and he is a very confident player. He believes in himself and he always backs his ability."
The West Indies were outstanding in the outfield getting four wickets by the run out route – including two from direct hits – by Sammy diving at short mid-off and Devendra Bishoo from point.
"We didn’t get a wicket on Friday night and to bounce back and take all ten and dismiss England in double figures was a remarkable turnaround and everyone deserves congratulations for a superb job. It was a stunning fightback after the first match and we always believed anything was possible on the night.
"The extra fielding we did at training on Saturday with the coaching staff really paid off. It was really good to get a win and the supporters who turned up to see us wanted to see us compete hard against the Englishmen and it is great we could give them something to celebrate."
The West Indies team leaves London on Monday night for Dubai where they will have a one-week training camp before moving on to Bangladesh for two Test matches, three One-Day Internationals and a T20 International.
Full Tour Schedule
October 7: 1st warm up – KSOAS
October 9: 2nd warm up – KSOAS
October 11: Twenty20 – SBNCS
October 13: 1st ODI – SBNCS
October 15: 2nd ODI – SBNCS
October 18: 3rd ODI – ZACS
October 21-25: 1st Test – ZACS
October 29-November 3: 2nd Test – SBNCS
Match venues
NCAG – National Cricket Academy Ground, Dhaka
KSOAS – Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium, Narayanganj
SBNCS – She-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka
ZACS – Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
One-Day Squad: Darren Sammy (Captain), Adrian Barath, Devendra Bishoo, Carlos Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Danza Hyatt, Anthony Martin, Kieron Pollard, Keiran Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons
Test Squad: Darren Sammy (Captain), Adrian Barath, Carlton Baugh, Devendra Bishoo, Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Fidel Edwards, Kirk Edwards, Keiran Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels, Shane Shillingford
: Darren Sammy (Captain), Adrian Barath, Carlton Baugh, Devendra Bishoo, Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Fidel Edwards, Kirk Edwards, Keiran Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels, Shane Shillingford