Saturday 16 September 2017 18:40, UK
England T20 skipper Eoin Morgan has defended the decision to rest Ben Stokes from their side for the Sky Live clash against Windies at the Emirates Riverside on Saturday.
The Chester-le-Street crowd have been denied the opportunity to watch a compelling battle between local favourite Stokes and Windies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite, the player who smashed him for four huge sixes to win the World T20 final in Kolkata last April.
A crowd of 13,000 will watch the contest and Morgan was keen to stress the decision not to play all-rounder Stokes was taken with the wider picture in mind, with a punishing Ashes tour still to come at the end of the year.
"I can see both sides of it, of course guys want to see him play," said Morgan.
"And if there wasn't an injury risk down the line or a huge Ashes tour coming up potentially he might be able to play.
"It's unfortunate it has to be a game at his home ground but we have to stay strong with the decisions and the plans we have so down the line we don't regret playing him in a one-off game."
Morgan was keen to play down suggestions that Stokes against Brathwaite represented a seminal moment of sorts, with the pair having already faced each other in 50-over cricket since the Eden Gardens final.
"It's nothing to us," he added. "It's a long time ago. Ben has obviously learned a lot since then, become a more senior, more experienced player since then and he's better for the experience.
"We played Windies in March and Ben bowled at Carlos...he got him out in the last game."
As for Brathwaite himself, his career has failed to take off since that momentous over in India, with the 29-year-old omitted from the touring ODI squad, meaning he will captain the Windies for the one-off T20 game before returning home.
But he has had constant reminders of his moment of glory in the build-up to the match at Durham's home ground.
"It's something I can't get away from...they even have us playing at his home ground," he said.
"Social media won't let me forget it, there's been a few videos going around of late. It wasn't just a boundary or a six, it was four in a row. It was on the stage it was, it was against England and in India.
"It isn't something that will be forgotten for a little while but I know it probably will never happen again so it's about me being as consistent as I can now.
"I probably still can't believe it happened but thankfully we have a T20 World Cup and I have a fantastic story to tell my kids, with the video footage to prove I'm not telling a lie.
"I just want to move on in my career. It was a fantastic achievement and I'm privileged I was the one to make it possible but your career goes on long after that."
Watch England v West Indies on Saturday. Coverage begins on Sky Sports Cricket at 6pm.
