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Darren Sammy bows out of the NatWest T20 Blast at the The Ageas Bowl on Saturday
West Indian all-rounder Darren Sammy wants to give Hampshire fans something to shout about on Saturday, bowing out of the NatWest T20 Blast at the The Ageas Bowl before jetting off to the Caribbean.
Sad to be leaving Hampshire at a pivotal point in their NatWest T20 Blast campaign, Sammy wants to produce a fitting goodbye against Gloucestershire before joining St Lucia Zouks for the Caribbean Premier League.
The 32-year-old believes it would be “an easy decision” to return to Hampshire, enticed by the club’s endearing support and its rich historical connection with West-Indian cricket.
"I want to leave Hampshire with a big bang on Saturday,” he said. “My debut against Kent captured what T20 cricket is about and hopefully we can experience it again against Gloucestershire.
“I’m very sad to be leaving this great club. I was so excited to come here, and I still get excited about wearing the Hampshire shirt.”
Sammy announced his arrival at the club in typically sensational fashion, making an immediate impact with bat and ball to help Hampshire edge past Kent in a 9-run victory at the The Ageas Bowl.
Whilst Hants have been unfortunate with results in this year’s NatWest T20 Blast, the arrival of Sammy and Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has gone some way in boosting morale in the dressing room and in the stands.
“As an overseas player you want to come over and have that impact right away," Sammy said.
“These guys have made finals day seven years running but we’ve not managed to build momentum in this tournament yet. It’s not too late and I’m confident the guys can turn it around.
Having a world-class cricketer like Darren in the camp is hugely beneficial both on and off the field. Darren is a great character and a talented, versatile cricketer - a true all-rounder and ambassador for Twenty20 cricket. We'd like to thank him for his efforts over the past month with Hampshire and wish him all the best for the Caribbean Premier League
Giles White, Director of Cricket
“The team spirit is great here and the boys gel really well. We owe it to the fans to play with a certain level of passion. Even though we lose, we still fight – this team is full of fighters.”
“Shahid is a great competitor and he’s always positive. I’ve enjoyed playing against him, and playing with him for Hampshire has been a fantastic experience – he’s infectious."
St Lucia-born Sammy was undeniably pulled by Hampshire’s connection with the Caribbean, all too aware of the success experienced by iconic bowler Malcolm Marshall in a 14-year spell at the club beginning in 1979.
Hants’ squad includes Sammy, Tino Best and Fidel Edwards this season, and the club has forged a partnership with shirt sponsors Visit Barbados.
“To see that a club’s history is connected to your history is warming. My heroes have played here and left a legacy, and I want to leave my mark at Hampshire like they did,” Sammy said.
“Giles and the coaching staff here do an excellent job and it’s a shame our results haven’t reflected their great work. I’d love to work again with this group.
“The best thing is seeing kids enjoying the cricket, and my aim is to inspire young people to play. Signing autographs and chatting with the youngsters is great. We owe the fans a lot.
“It would be an easy decision to come back. The support here is fantastic.”
Head down to the The Ageas Bowl Family Festival on Saturday to give Darren a huge send-off, as Hampshire clash with Gloucestershire in the NatWest T20 Blast (1.30pm start).
Find out more about what's on the cricketing calendar at Utilita Bowl this season, including matches from Hampshire, Southern Vipers, Southern Brave, and England Cricket
