Enjoying the most runs and best average after two of the three-Test series of West Indies in England, Marlon Samuels has the opportunity to become the eighth West Indian to score more than 400 runs in a three-Test series.

It would also be the first time that a West Indian has accumulated that number of runs against England, now the top Test team in the world.

Darren Bravo was the latest of that elite group when he notched up 404 runs last November against India, then the number two Test team in the world.

In late May to early June, 2008, Shivnarine Chanderpaul racked up 442 runs against number one team Australia and before him Brian Lara, in November, 2006, compiled 448 runs also against the Aussies.

Samuels, 31, is poised to maintain that tradition of West Indian batsmen rising to the occasion when facing the top teams in the world.

His “magnificent 117” and “equally brilliant 76 not out” at Trent Bridge, according to the latest Reliance ICC rankings release, has vaulted Samuels to 20 places to claim 35th spot in the batting ranking and 37th in the all-rounders’ category.

Samuels leads the series with 310 runs, one ahead of England captain Andrew Strauss, who climbed four places to become the world number 23 batsman.

In the third and final Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham, where the West Indies have won four of eight matches at the venue, losing two and and drawing the other two, Samuels will try to become the seventh West Indian to score a “ton” there.

Collie Smith (161), Roy Fredericks (150), Larry Gomes (143), Ramnaresh Sarwan (139), Viv Richards (117), and Richie Richardson (104) all hit centuries at the Birmingham ground.