England place trust in Ollie Robinson ahead of must-win Test against South Africa

Abraham Smith

It is rare for a Test player’s fitness to be so brutally openly questioned publicly by his own team and given Ollie Robinson’s recall to the England team for the second Test at Old Trafford, the criticism comes quickly to mind.

Jon Lewis, England’s fast bowling coach, left no one in doubt about management’s dissatisfaction with the seamer during the fifth Ashes Test in Hobart.

Speaking to BT Sport at the end of day two’s game, Lewis was outspoken in his assessment of Robinson’s fitness.

“That’s something he’s definitely looking at and we’re definitely working with him,” Lewis said. “If he’s going to consistently perform at this level over a long period of time, he has to be 100% a fitter bowler.

“We’ve had these conversations, we’ve been pretty open with him. And now it’s up to him to get the job done.”

“He travels a lot in international cricket, he will have to learn to take better care of himself than he probably is at the moment.”

MORE: Who is Matthew Potts? The unlikely rise of England’s new fast bowling Test match star

Robinson had contracted a hamstring wobble during the third Test in Melbourne, missed the fourth with a shoulder injury and suffered a back spasm in Hobart that left England intermittently missing a bowler during the final Test.

After Ashes, Robinson has only played seven games; three County Championship matches and a List A game for Sussex and three warm-up games against West Indies President’s XI, New Zealand and South Africa.

In and around those performances were more back problems, a dental problem, and a bout of COVID-19.

But after his absence from the first five Tests of the summer, England are now confident that Robinson is fit and tenacious enough to withstand the rigors of Test cricket and have brought him into the side in place of Matthew Potts in the hope that he could capitalize on the expected leap from the Old Trafford pitch.

There is no doubt about Robinson’s bowling skills; his nagging consistency, his ability to move the ball just enough to cause batters trouble, and the sometimes awkward leap aided by his height, the combination of which drew early comparisons to Glenn McGrath.

He also has a knack for taking wickets; In nine tests, he has completed 39 total with an impressive average of 21.28.

The question was whether or not England can trust Robinson’s body for up to five days.

Stokes revealed he had had a candid conversation with the 28-year-old about his fitness.

“I’ve been very honest and honest with Robbo,” Stokes said. “I think that’s something people deserve. Rather than just having a conversation just to get through it, I’d rather let him know exactly where I stand.

“It allows him to go away and work on what was asked of him. All I can say is that he did it to the max. He’s been working hard behind the scenes, which sadly probably won’t be revealed.

“When you’re in the position that we’re in as international cricketers and things go wrong, it’s very easy to be out there. But something I’ve been very keen on with the team is remembering what we say to each other in the dressing room is the most important thing. Let’s not try to let outside noise in here and influence what we do.

“All the feedback Robbo has received from me, the coach and the people who have helped him get to where he is now has been nothing but positive. He should listen to that.”

Stokes wasn’t in Canterbury to catch Robinson’s performance for the Lions against South Africa but he tuned into the live stream and liked what he saw; Robinson bowled four spells for a total of 19 overs on opening day, improving with each one.

He certainly seemed fitter to the naked eye and encouraging for England his spells on day four were arguably his best.

He took five wickets total, dismissing Sarel Erwee and Rassie van der Dussen in both innings and Dean Elgar in the second, greatly impressing Lions captain Sam Billings.

“There are a couple of guys that Ollie Robinson had on toast this week,” Billings said after the game in Canterbury. “He bowled exceptionally well.

“I’m also a big fan of Ollie in terms of his character on the field. How he always delivers an intensity, even if it doesn’t come across that physically. The way he approaches the game is contagious.

“And the fact that he underpinned his performance in the first innings has actually gotten better and from a pace perspective I was further behind than I was digging at first. It was proper test match bowling. I think he’s gotten stronger and stronger from a physical point of view.

“He easily got through the workload he was given and then he was out there trying to get some time to stretch his legs.

His performance was enough to ensure he was a real contender for the series against South Africa, although he sat out the first Test at Lord’s and Stokes was effusive in his praise of how Robinson has handled the past six months.

“It was obviously a very difficult time for Ollie because it wasn’t the fact that his form was failing him. It was his body,” Stokes said. “It’s obviously a very difficult thing when you want to do something, but what has to work in order for you to be able to do it isn’t.

“But I think he can use it as something to look back on and learn from. Because he’s here on the team and he’s playing this week.

“So everything that’s happened in the past is something he’s obviously grown from and he’s learned a lot about himself. Not just as a person, but as a player.

“I kept in touch with him quite a bit throughout the whole time and just told him that every team he plays for is very fortunate to have him because of his bowling skills.

“I’m very excited. He really deserves it. And I can’t wait for him to go out and show what’s at stake.”

Robinson has clearly impressed and earned England’s trust with his response to criticism and hard work behind the scenes. Now that England need a win to keep the series alive, there couldn’t be a better time for Robinson – and his body – to repay that same trust.

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