Of all the games in which humans indulge, none requires literary analysis and record-keeping as does cricket.

And in all sport, there is no greater or more long-lived chronicler of team and individual performances than the 149-year-old Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack.

For most of its many years in existence, Wisden, by naming its Cricketers of the Year, sought to recognise the leading performers in an English season — Englishmen as well as others.

Dating back to the legendary, groundbreaking Mr George Headley, West Indians have had their fair share of recognition from the ‘Bible of Cricket’. There were years when West Indians dominated the listing. Indeed, in 1951, Messrs Sonny Ramadhin, Alf Valentine, Everton Weekes and Frank Worrell took four of the five cricketers of the year awards and in 1964 Messrs Charlie Griffith, Conrad Hunte, Rohan Kanhai and Garfield Sobers did likewise.

It is in such esteemed company that Mr Marlon Samuels now finds himself.

First and foremost, Wisden thought it fit to recognise Mr Samuels after his heroics for the West Indies in the cold and damp of the 2012 English spring. In three Tests, Mr Samuels was the dominant batsman scoring 386 runs for an average of 96 plus.

Mr Samuels, as elegant a batsman as there is in contemporary cricket, then gave command performances against New Zealand and at the ICC Twenty/20 World Cup in Sri Lanka. His thrilling, back-to-the wall 56-ball 78 in the Twenty/20 final, which ensured a West Indies triumph, will be remembered as one of the great limited overs’ knocks.

Mr Samuels capped 2012 with more outstanding work with the bat as West Indies defeated Bangladesh 2-0 in that country late in the year.

To our mind, the most remarkable aspect of Mr Samuels’ achievements in 2012 is not so much that he batted so well, or scored so many runs. After all, he was a batting marvel as a boy.

The truly remarkable thing for this newspaper is Mr Samuels’ will and determination, which have brought him back from blows that would have crippled others.

Early in his career he fought back gallantly from knee problems which, at one time, seemed set to destroy his career. Then in 2008 came the cruellest cut of all. He was banned from all forms of cricket for two years because of alleged inappropriate links with an Indian bookmaker — a charge Mr Samuels vehemently denied.

Many felt Mr Samuels, already in his late-20s, would have given up on cricket. No such thing. Insisting that playing cricket is what he has always wanted to do, Mr Samuels stayed focused, stayed fit and when the two-year ban ended returned to competition with the kind of discipline and hunger few realised he possessed.

Further, Mr Samuels, a more-than-useful offspin bowler, has responded to official questioning of his bowling action by improving his technique and becoming in the process, a far better bowler than he was before.

The reward for Mr Samuels’ never-say-die attitude has been his success over the last year and counting.

Now 32 years old, he stands as a shining example, not just to young, struggling sportsmen and women, but to all those who may feel the obstacles are too arduous to be overcome.

He has shown us that where there is a will, there is always a way. We applaud him and wish him well.