OLLIE’S TALL ORDER
Robinson hopes patience will pay off this summer
OLLIE ROBINSON would be within his rights to feel a touch conflicted about his international prospects after the past 12 months.
In the 55-man bubble that convened for behind-closed-doors training last May, he made the 30-man squad for the West Indies series and was one of nine reserves for the first Test last summer.
After missing out on that, he made the squad for the second Test and again for the second Test against Pakistan.
This winter he has been one of seven reserves for the Test series against Sri Lanka in December and again for India in January.
Back-up, reserve, net bowler, uncomplaining tourist, drinks carrier and everything in between. But still waiting for his first cap.
After a year like that, Robinson may be forgiven for losing heart or at least feeling a little underrated.
But, speaking to the Sussex seamer before the start of the LV= County Championship, it is clear that neither is true.
Far from being disullusioned by his lack of progress, Robinson believes that a breakthrough against India in June will come and following from that, a place in the Ashes squad for next winter.
“They’ve told me to look towards the India series in June, so that is my aim at the moment – start the season well with Sussex and hopefully get in that squad and in the XI,” he said.
“Beyond that, this summer is massive for me. Maybe not performance-wise as much as in previous years because I feel England can sort of see and know what I do.
“But I just need to get that breakthrough in a Test match or series to cement my place and for the plane to Australia really.
“That is the most important thing for me this year.”
Robinson’s 6ft 5in frame, metronomic accuracy and his experience in Australia in the one ‘Test’ Lions tour in February – he took 7-145 at the MCG – showed that he could be useful next winter.
“My strengths are my accuracy and my height and know what I’m good at so every time I go into a net session or a game that’s what I try to deliver,” he said.
“I’ve been to Australia three times now for grade cricket and once for the Lions [when he was presented with his England cap by Marcus Trescothick, below] and I feel like my experiences Down Under are good enough to perform if called upon even if I didn’t make my debut this summer.”
Robinson has come a long way since he was sacked by Yorkshire for poor timekeeping and a poor training regime back in 2014. Since then the 27-year-old has grown up and flourished at Hove, reaching the significant milestone of 250 first-class wickets. “England have drilled into me that they want me to keep working just as hard for Sussex as I did with them. And if I want to have a long career then that’s what I want to do for the rest of my career,” he said. All he needs now is for it to start.