‘English don’t learn’
Grenada Test: West Indies’ Marlon Samuels says heated exchange with Ben Stokes spurred him on.
Marlon Samuels has mocked England allrounder Ben Stokes for his continued sledging on day one of the second Test match in Grenada. Stokes and Samuels had plenty of chat throughout the day’s play, with Stokes getting a warning from umpire Steve Davis for his antics.
However, Samuels was unmoved and made 94 not out by the close of play after an attritional first day. Speaking after the day’s play, the West Indies batsman said English players ‘don’t learn’, and the sledging drives him on to score more runs.
“I kept on telling him that but I probably have to tell him something different because he’s not listening. “He keeps talking to me but it keeps me motivated and keeps me batting.”
And did Stokes’ chat have a counter productive effect? “It all depends on how the morning goes...Marlon Samuels 150, Ben Stokes with the ball in his hand. It will be very interesting.”
England seamer Chris Jordan, who could have had Samuels out for 32 if it wasn’t for skipper Alastair Cook dropping a regulation chance at slip, insisted it was good to see the battle between Stokes and the batsman, and defended Cook’s decision to bowl first.
“Stokesy likes to get in a battle and what you saw was two cricketers going at it for their country, I guess that makes for good viewing,” he said. “That kind of stuff makes Stokesy tick. Any time he’s in a battle all 11 of us are going to back him. It’s good to see two cricketers going at it without crossing the line. Hopefully see much more of that.
“I thought the ball swung the entire day, from ball one to the last ball the seamers bowled. There was enough to keep us interested. But it was a mixed performance. We were good in patches but all in all I didn’t think we made the batsman play at enough balls to create pressure. “I’d like to say we’re slightly on top but the morning session will be an important one.”
Brief Scores (After day one)
West Indies 188/5 (Samules 94 not out, Jordan 2-51) vs England at Grenada.
Marlon Samuels has mocked England allrounder Ben Stokes for his continued sledging on day one of the second Test match in Grenada. Stokes and Samuels had plenty of chat throughout the day’s play, with Stokes getting a warning from umpire Steve Davis for his antics.
However, Samuels was unmoved and made 94 not out by the close of play after an attritional first day. Speaking after the day’s play, the West Indies batsman said English players ‘don’t learn’, and the sledging drives him on to score more runs.
“Ben Stokes basically is battling himself because he’s just coming into cricket and I’ve been around for a while,” said Samuels. “It’s obvious the English boys don’t learn because whenever they talk to me I continue scoring runs. But they keep on talking, I guess they can’t help it.
“I kept on telling him that but I probably have to tell him something different because he’s not listening. “He keeps talking to me but it keeps me motivated and keeps me batting.”
And did Stokes’ chat have a counter productive effect? “It all depends on how the morning goes...Marlon Samuels 150, Ben Stokes with the ball in his hand. It will be very interesting.”
England seamer Chris Jordan, who could have had Samuels out for 32 if it wasn’t for skipper Alastair Cook dropping a regulation chance at slip, insisted it was good to see the battle between Stokes and the batsman, and defended Cook’s decision to bowl first.
“Stokesy likes to get in a battle and what you saw was two cricketers going at it for their country, I guess that makes for good viewing,” he said. “That kind of stuff makes Stokesy tick. Any time he’s in a battle all 11 of us are going to back him. It’s good to see two cricketers going at it without crossing the line. Hopefully see much more of that.
“I thought the ball swung the entire day, from ball one to the last ball the seamers bowled. There was enough to keep us interested. But it was a mixed performance. We were good in patches but all in all I didn’t think we made the batsman play at enough balls to create pressure. “I’d like to say we’re slightly on top but the morning session will be an important one.”
Brief Scores (After day one)
West Indies 188/5 (Samules 94 not out, Jordan 2-51) vs England at Grenada.
