Injured Samuels likely to miss Australia ODI series

MELBOURNE—All-rounder Marlon Samuels is almost certain to miss West Indies one-day series tour of Australia next month, after sustaining severe injuries to his eye during a game in the Australian Big Bash on Sunday.

He top-edged a Lasith Malinga delivery into his face during Sunday’s eventful game, suffering a suspected fracture of the eye socket.

Samuels has already been replaced by England opener Alex Hales in the Melbourne Renegades squad for the remainder of the season and is highly unlikely to represent the Windies in Australia next month.

The West Indies’ five-match one-day series begins in Perth on February 1, placing the all-rounder in doubt for the whole Australian summer.

He remains holed up in his hotel room with swelling and bruising around his eye after edging a ball from Lasith Malinga through the grill of his helmet into his face.

Renegades captain Aaron Finch has been quoted as saying the West Indian star had a suspected fractured eye socket but the extent of his injury has still not been determined because of the swelling.

Samuels has been ordered by doctors to remain as still as possible to avoid the chance of bursting a blood vessel and causing permanent damage to his vision.

It appears that he has also been ordered not to fly for a month and is not likely to leave his hotel room for weeks until given the medical all-clear.

Samuels was at the centre of Sunday night’s Big Bash League blow-up with Melbourne Stars’ captain Shane Warne and faces two disciplinary charges.

But Cricket Australia is yet to set a time for the hearing out of growing concerns for his injury.

Yesterday Warne apologised for the foul-mouthed confrontation that earned him a ban and a fine, and said he hoped he had not tarnished his legacy in the sport.

Warne admitted he had gone too far in his on-field row with Samuels but defended his right to show “emotion and passion.”

“I’m very passionate when I play the game. I overstepped the line and hence I’m missing a game,” Warne, 43, told Australian broadcaster Fox Sports.

“I thought it was a pretty harsh penalty but I was more disappointed in my own actions, especially as a captain.

“It was emotion and passion. We sometimes like to see that in sportsmen and not robots.

“I apologise to the fans and I apologise to everyone. Sitting and doing detention, it’s not easy to watch the boys.”

Warne, furious after Samuels impeded batsman David Hussey, confronted the West Indian with an obscenity, and in the following over, hurled the ball at his chest.

Samuels, playing for city rivals the Melbourne Renegades, reacted by tossing his bat towards Australia’s record Test wicket-taker and the two squared up before being separated by the umpires.

Warne was banned for one match and fined Aus$4,500 (US$4,700) over the row. But he expressed hope that “one little incident” wouldn’t besmirch his reputation among cricket fans.

“I’d like to think of the 25 years I’ve been playing first-class cricket rather than just one game,” he said.

“I’d like to think there’s a lot of positive and good things I’ve done for Australian cricket and all that sort of stuff over the years.

“One little incident here or there (doesn’t matter). I do apologise for my behaviour and I’m disappointed in my own reaction.”

Warne claimed 708 Test wickets in a celebrated career but he has also courted controversy, notably when he was fined for accepting money from a bookmaker and when he was sent home from the 2003 World Cup for taking a banned diuretic. (CMC)