For a sport that has long prided itself as a gentleman’s game, spectated by gentlefolk, Ben Stokes salty language on the cricket pitch can be as acerbic as over-steeped tea.
BEN STOKES SPEWS
In his mid twenties, Stokes is one of the top cricketers in the world. Originally from New Zealand, he now lives in England where he serves as Vice Captain of the English National Test Team. He recently was suspended with pay from the team following an early-morning altercation in Bristol.
“People still like to call it the gentleman's game, but the further on it's gone, the more, I think, aggressive cricket has got. There's more people now that would be associated with aggressive, in-your-face cricketers, and I feel like I'm one of them.”
That Stokes — with his fiery demeanor and heavily tattooed arms — appears more suited to rugby than cricket, should come as no surprise. His grandfather, father and brother have all played rugby at a high level.
RISING PUNE SUPERGIANTS
Earlier this year, Stokes became the highest paid English cricketer in the Indian Premier League when he signed a contract for 1.7 million with the Rising Pune Supergiants. It remains to be seen if he’ll eventually embellish his invective on the Asian subcontinent with Hindi or Marathi phrases.
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