Lee Fortis was probably sarcastic. Maybe? It is never unusual for a curator to be protective of a playing square, but throwing off repeated instruction might irk a team. And that made him hear things like “you are just a groundsman” — words that, even in that tall, thick-skinned head, stung more than they should. The Indian camp, especially head coach Gautam Gambhir, wasn’t pleased with Fortis’ pre-match pitch restrictions. But after one of the most intense weeks at The Oval, the seven-foot-tall pitch curator finally opened up: “I was never a villain.” The Oval Test was high-octane, the kind of match curators either get blamed for or silently applauded. Fortis, who instructed players to stay 2.5 metres away from the surface before the game, found himself in the eye of a storm after his verbal exchange with Gambhir. The Indian camp was vocal, and Fortis responded just once, calling the coach “tetchy.” Despite the tension, Fortis kept working. As Siraj demolished Atkinson’s stumps to seal a dramatic series draw, Fortis was already back on duty, readying the square for The Hundred. After the crowd disappeared, he remained at the ground — unseen, unfazed. Fortis ended the final Test evening by toasting with his ground staff. He kept his remarks light: “Well, I was never the villain, I was made into one. Hope you guys enjoyed the show and the atmosphere was like the IPL. It was a great game.” Nephew's tribute the "groundman" uncle Earlier, after the heated altercation had happened, and it was still hot in the air, his nephew posted a video online—showing “his just-a-groundsman uncle” taking him to The Oval. The young boy even met England players, including his idol Ben Stokes. Fortis, who’s been ECB’s Curator of the Year three times running, didn’t publicly react to the backlash. Rather, he even chose to stay firm with his sarcasm when he was asked about the altercation. However, with his art, he is kind of unbeatable. Last time, he got famous for his overwork during the Ashes tour in England. And now, it won't be surprising at all if this big man gets another best curator prize for the fourth time in a row.