WEST INDIES middle-order batsman Marlon Samuels is at the centre of controversy again.

According to the website Caribbean-Cricket.com, Samuels has written to West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) President Ken Gordon and the team's manager Michael Findlay complaining about being "set aside" by the coaching staff.

The Jamaican right-handed batsman, who in 2002 almost got sent home from India after he defied a team curfew and then, earlier this year, was drawn into a major controversy after Nagpur police alleged he passed on information to an alleged bookie ahead of a one-day international against India, has accused team coach David Moore and former coach Bennett King of sidelining him.

In Samuels' letter to the president and team manager, which was published on CaribbeanCricket.com, he pointed to the problem, which he said was affecting his cricket.

"At our first net session since I arrived in England, I was told by coach David Moore to start the fielding session. Then I was asked to bowl in the nets which I happily did," wrote Samuels, who replaced the injured captain Ramnaresh Sarwan on the current tour of England.

The letter continued: "However, I was not given an opportunity to bat until after all the other batsmen and bowlers batted. At this time, the net bowlers were very tired and unable to bowl properly and you would understand that since I only recently arrived it is important for me to get an equal chance to acclimatise and prepare myself for the Test match if given the opportunity."

Happened before

He noted that his reason for writing was because this had happened before.

"Under Bennett King, in Malaysia and India in 2006, I was faced with the same situation. It only changed in India after I complained about it in a team meeting and Mr. Clive Lloyd intervened," added Samuels, who has played 23 Tests.

"But now it is continuing again under Bennett King's assistant coach David Moore who has taken over. I feel I am being deliberately set aside and I am not pleased with this since it is happening too often," continued the Melbourne cricket club player who has an average of 28.21 in Tests.

He expressed dissatisfaction while saying he could not keep this quiet any longer.

"I have kept quiet on several things, such as this, which have affected me in the past. I think it is important for me to bring this to your attention so that you can address it and help to ensure that there are no distractions," he noted in his letter.

Neither Gordon, Moore or Findlay were available for comment yesterday.

'Under Bennett King, in Malaysia and India in 2006, I was faced with the same situation. Itonly changed in India after I complained about it in a team meeting and Mr. Clive Lloyd intervened."