Get back
England's new approach to Robinson stands up to scrutiny
Based on my Vibesviz there seems to be a trend across cricket for keepers to more frequently stand up. It can be seen in the fine fare I witness in the North Staffs and South Cheshire Cricket League Premier A (Leek v Longton tomorrow live and exclusive on Moorlands Radio), as well as in the County Game and now Tests. It seems an expectation borne of the more familiar moist and swingy conditions of this early English season, but also an expectation of keeping in general. At Lord’s on the first two days, the two keepers - god help them - have stood up to negate batters negating extreme seam rather than swing, and it has been a very good Test indeed for the reputation of Alex Carey.
It would seem, though, that John Simpson at Sussex is probably spared having his reflexes frayed and bye column violated quite as often as others. I base this on his county charge Ollie Robinson’s testy reaction to Jamie Smith being called up to the stumps by Ben Stokes, which saw the returning antipace antihero uncomfortable and miffed that his captain wanted Smith in such close situe. So much so that in his fifth over of New Zealand’s second dig, a term this wicket invites to be construed as more archaeological than cricketing, Robinson took it upon himself, without consulting his skipper, to tell Smith to get back in exasperated and hand-waving fashion.
Robinson’s detractors could say him doing this of his own accord was exactly why he’s considered tricky to captain and coach, but I don’t think this was a fast bowler ego thing. More so just a bowler visualisation, perspective and rhythm disturbance issue. Regardless, Stokes put up quite a sassy Beyonce hand to block Robinson’s request and indicate Smith should stay exactly where he was. Captain and bowler continued their initially frosty chat throughout and then after the over with increasingly wry looks and grins spreading over their faces. Robinson actually nearly had Conway leaden foot trapped on his crease the very next delivery after his complaint, playing about a continent outside the line of a length ball that nipped in. Stokes tried very hard not to smirk as he granted his bowler an unsuccessful review.
It was all quite amusing given the nebulous reasons for Robinson not playing Test cricket since 2024. In Britain, there is a constituent that seems to love seeing a skillful tall poppy cut down to size for having an opium attitude. I’m not sure Jofra Archer has covered himself in glory with his IPL vs country game management but the tucking into him has been very lusty and predictable indeed. For Robinson, for all his low KPHs and allegedly high KGs on that 2024 India tour, seeing a player of his ability cast asunder for two years has been very irritating, made all the worse by England suffering death by Neser et al nibbling during the Ashes.
There is, as has clearly been accepted by England, more than one way of doing things. Emilio Gay, speaking after his gold dust debut half-century, said he felt very comforted by McCullum’s insistence he play exactly as he does at Durham. Zak Crawley might have had a wry smile of his own at such hands off management, not that sympathy will be in vast supply there. There should be more sympathy for Robinson playing grade cricket in Australia as England fell to his favoured modes of dismissal during the Ashes. Not least as the attitude of England’s thirsty players, helpless coaches and flailing MD (“A fielding coach? Sorry, we’ve spent the money on the Noosa mini break”) was, to say the least, open to scrutiny.
Robinson exploited a Lord’s pitch that had not so much tennis ball bounce as what might come to be recognised as soccerball bounce given some of the footage coming out of World Cup training sessions at American stadiums. The ball shot through from his and other’s height at ridiculously unplayable angles, but his joy at being back in the fold was acute. He probably is a difficult, headstrong and obstinate cricketer but Britain as a sporting nation often takes far too long to realise their obdurate treatment of difficult loners shouldn’t last as long as it invariably does.
Stokes approach to dealing with Robinson today with gentle, nudging but firm leadership was bittersweet. A little window into how England might have been better treating him over the last couple of years. As we often hear about players taking up lucrative franchise contracts instead of playing for their country, cricket careers are short. But who can really blame them for taking the cash when we see a genuinely stellar international talent like Robinson have two years chalked off for airy reasons that remain pretty difficult to understand.