IT was as if Darren Sammy had come under the spell of his Canberra surroundings.
When in Rome, as they say. And so it was yesterday with Sammy, who sounded positively statesmanlike as the tourists prepared for their last stand in Canberra.
Sammy described the capital's maiden ODI as "one big day for Canberra and it could be one big day for the West Indies".
He then went all Churchillian in exhorting his men to keep the five-match series alive by winning the third game today.
"West Indians, we know how to fight . . . history's in the making and we love being part of history," Sammy said.
Well may he say they need to fight, because they did anything but in the first two matches of the series in Perth.
After capitulating for 70 on Friday, the tourists regained some respect in Sunday's game before collapsing just as victory was in sight.
Rarely has so much been left to so few; in this case Kieran Powell and Dwayne Bravo, who added 126 after the top order had slumped to 3-33.
"It was a game we should have won," Sammy said yesterday. "Yes, we lost three early wickets but the partnership of Powell and Bravo really put us back into the game.
"Myself and (Kieron) Pollard and the guys in the end should have brought it home for the team after the hard work that Bravo and Powell did. But we should learn from our mistakes."
Sammy said the tourists might have a slight advantage today in that they played under the new Manuka lights against the Prime Minister's XI last week.
"We've had a taste of the conditions," he said. "The wicket is a very good wicket.
"Lots of runs were scored last time so hopefully our batsmen can put more runs on the board.
"We've got to play the perfect match in all three disciplines, batting, bowling and fielding.
"We know that once we play well, we're very destructive."
No one is more destructive than an in-form Chris Gayle, but the hulking left-hander has scored just 112 ODI runs at an average of 11.2 since making 125 against New Zealand in July.
Asked how Gayle was coping with the unfamiliar demons that come with a form slump, Sammy said no one knew because the champion opener kept his own counsel.
"Chris is his own man. He is the coolest fella that I know.
"Whether he's happy or sad or smiley or whatever you can't tell.
"He's got one mood, and that's a cool guy, you know?
"He knows his teammates support him through whatever he is going through.
"A guy like Chris, you can never count him out."
After a Usain Bolt-like celebration of his freak one-handed slips catch on Sunday, and later turning a call for a decision review into a dance-floor move, Sammy is well qualified to offer an opinion on "cool".
"It's always good when you have a moment of brilliance on the pitch," Sammy said, without a hint of boastfulness, when asked about his catch.
"You've got to see it to catch it and then stick out one hand and hope it sticks.
"We caught well in the last game. So hopefully we can bring that and apply the moments of brilliance in all aspects of the game."
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