The historic first full cricket tour by South Africa to the West Indies has just finished and players on both sides have memories to cherish

21-May-2001The historic first full cricket tour by South Africa to the West Indies has just finished and players on both sides have memories to cherish. In this first segment of a two-part series, players from both teams share their thoughts on particular issues.Ridley Jacobs (West Indies vice-captain/wicket-keeper): On his maiden Test century: “It was a joy to score my first Test century (in the Barbados Test). I’ve been in the 90s a few times and I thought I would never get out of the 90s but I proved myself wrong and I am very pleased.”On his One-Day vs Test performances: “The One-Day game is a quicker pace and you don’t get much time to settle in like in a Test and that was my downfall in the One-Day matches. Overall, I am pretty pleased with my results. I give my best every time I go onto the field.”On his wicketkeeping and future goals: “I put in a lot of hard work and it is paying off. I am very happy with my wicketkeeping right now. I just want to be more consistent in the One-Days and in Test cricket; doing that will benefit the team and that’s the most important thing. That’s my goal.”On what he has learnt: “We have learnt that we must be competitive throughout a whole day and not just a session or two sessions. It’s very important that we play as a team throughout – that’s the most important thing. South Africa is a very together team and that’s what every team should always aspire to be a unit. We have some young players who are playing pretty well but we need to play more as a team.”Marlon Samuels (West Indies middle-order batsman/secondary bowler): On his goals for the series: “I didn’t achieve my goals for the series. I wanted to score two centuries in the Tests and also two centuries in the One-Day Internationals. I got two half-centuries in both the Tests and One-Days. That was okay but there is room for improvement.”On concentrating while batting: “Sometimes my concentration lapsed and that cost me my wicket. I find myself realising when that is happening and I am trying to correct it so it won’t cost me my wicket in the future. When I feel I am losing concentration, I count 1-2-3 to myself and try to refocus and start batting all over again like if I just came to the wicket.”On lessons from Australia and South Africa: “I’ve learnt a lot playing against the two top teams in international cricket. The bowlers in Australia and South Africa are very smart. They try to set you up with every ball. It keeps you thinking all the time. It was a big challenge facing Allan Donald and Jacques Kallis.”On the start of his international career: “I’ve had a good start to my career and I intend to capitalise on this and move from strength to strength. I am working on my fitness and on my bowling. I feel I can become a genuine all-rounder and I believe I have a big contribution to make to this team. I am confident the future will be good for me.”Allan Donald (South African fast bowler): On his goals for series: “At the beginning of the tour, I wanted to be part of a team that beat the West Indies over here. That was a special achievement and this tour will go down as possibly the biggest triumph in my Test and One-Day careers.”On series success: “I was happy with my performances throughout the series. It was long and tough. We knew the conditions would be hard and that the West Indies are difficult to beat in their own backyard but we have done that and it’s very special to us. The way we won the Trinidad Test was great and then in Antigua. To have lost in Jamaica hurt us a lot and I think the way the guys played in the One-Days was a big comeback for us. It was nice for me to be part of history. I’ve had a fantastic time.”On a defining moment: “Personally, the defining moment of this tour was my taking those two early wickets on the fifth morning in the Trinidad Test and then when Shaun (Pollock) bowled Courtney (Walsh) to finish the match. I didn’t play in Antigua but when the last West Indies wicket fell there it was a huge relief for me that we had won the series.”On West Indies’ future: “I think the West Indies have players who can take them ahead. I am impressed with (opening batsman) Chris Gayle. I think he could apply himself better. He does have a technical flaw that we spotted since the second Test. Marlon Samuels is also a confident player. But I think the biggest factor may be a lack of discipline up front, among the first five batsmen, where people need to bat for longer periods and apply themselves better. If the West Indies keep working with this team there’s lots of hope for the future.Carl Hooper must be given a little more time. He has a side he can work with and I think the people in the Caribbean must be more patient with him. It will come. Lots of teams go through rebuilding phases. The West Indies are suffering a bit now but it will come.”Next week, read the views of West Indies cricketers Neil McGarrell and Cameron Cuffy, and South Africans Herschelle Gibbs and Jacques Kallis.