Marlon Samuels not gracious in victory: Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes continued his feud with Marlon Samuels after he criticized the West Indian cricketer for not being ‘Gracious’ enough after their World T20 win in India. Both cricketers have a history of exchanging verbal blows at each other. The uneasiness between both the cricketers began during the Granada Test last year when Marlon gave a military salute send-off to Stokes while he was leaving the field after being dismissed.

During the World T20 final at Eden Gardens, the England all-rounder was at the receiving end at the hands of Carlos Brathwaite who clattered four consecutive sixes in the final over to help his team clinch the title.

Samuels, who starred for the West Indies with an unbeaten 85 run knock and was at the other end while all these happened, was later fined for sledging Stokes in the final over of the match.

The West Indian took a shot at him during the post-match presentation after being named Man of the Match.

“Well he doesn’t learn,” Samuels said then. “Because they keep telling him, whenever he plays against me (they say) ‘don’t speak to me, because I’m going to perform’.

“I didn’t even face a ball and he had so much to say today so I know that I have to be right there until the end, again. Stokes is a nervous lad you know. What I told Brathwaite was … he’s going to bowl a couple of full tosses as always and it worked in our favor and Brathwaite played a brilliant knock there.”

But Stokes, who will be playing for Durham against Middlesex in the County Championship, said, “I knew you had to let the winning team have 10 minutes to celebrate winning the World Cup. At the same time, you have also got to play the game in the right way when it’s finished.

“A few of those West Indies guys didn’t do that – Marlon being one of them, which was unfortunate. He won’t be on my Christmas card list or anything else really.

“People have battles on the field but also you have to respect people who do well and he played a brilliant innings, he played a massive hand in winning them the World Cup. You have to say, ‘he got the better of us and of me that day’.

“But there’s a fine line between having a battle and not being gracious in victory.”