West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels has drawn the battle lines with Ben Stokes ahead of day two in Grenada, mocking the all-rounder's attempts at sledging and claiming "the English boys don't learn".
Samuels made 94 not out as his side finished the first day of the second Test on 188 for five, scoring particularly heavily after an exchange of verbals with Stokes.
Neither player is renowned as a wallflower, with Stokes proving highly combustible in his brief international career and Samuels never shying away from incident, on or off the field.
The Jamaican batsman memorably derided James Anderson's attempts to talk him out during a century at Trent Bridge in 2012, and suggested Stokes had fallen foul of the same problems.
"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."
Asked if he felt Stokes' mutterings, which earned a quiet rebuke from umpire Steve Davis, had been counter-productive, Samuels was on hand with a typically provocative response.
"It all depends on how the morning goes.Marlon Samuels 150, Ben Stokes with the ball in his hand. It will be very interesting."
Chris Jordan, who took the wickets of Devon Smith and Jermaine Blackwood on a tough pitch for seam bowling, was happy to see Stokes and Samuels facing off.
"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."
Jordan defended Alastair Cook's decision to bowl first following a rain-affected start in humid conditions, but accepted that the bowling unit did not always do enough to threaten the batsmen's stumps.
The day ended with honours roughly even, but the tourists might have found themselves chasing the game were it not for a series of poor top-order strokes.
"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," said Jordan.
"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."
Source: PA
