Samuels takes a dig at Warne

Kolkata, April 4: Adjudged Man-of-the-Match for his stupendous 66-ball 85 in the fil of the World Twenty20, West Indies batter Marlon Samuels took a dig at spin legend Shane Warne who recently criticised him on television for not scoring runs. “I woke up this morning with one thing on my mind. Shane Warne has been talking continuously and all I want to say is ‘this is for Shane Warne’. I answer with the bat, not the mic,” Samuels said at the post match presentation ceremony.

Later in the press conference, where he had his padded legs up on the microphone table, the Jamaican said: “I play a Test series in Australia and Shane Warne has a problem with me. I don’t know why he disrespects me, I have never done that. Seems like he has all the wrath inside him that needs to come out. I would appreciate if he did not continue to talk about me. I don’t know why he does it, may be because my face is real and his is not.”

He also lambasted England all-rounder Ben Stokes whom Carlos Brathwaite in the ultimate over of the game smashed for four consecutive sixes to gift West Indies a four-wicket victory. “Stokes is a nervous lad. I told Brathwaite to hold his pose and he will bowl a couple of full toss and as always it did work in our favour,” Samuels said.

“He does not learn. I keep telling him whenever he plays against us, ‘do not speak to me’ because I am going to perform. He did not even face a ball and had so much to say today. He did that again. That’s what I strive on. That is why I have been here for so long.” IANS