Durham’s glove man ready for England shootout
DURHAM wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson is ready to take his chance in a potential “shootout” for the England gloves this summer.
With Ben Foakes yet to match imperious glovework with consistent runs and Jonny Bairstow potentially at a career crossroads following a lean tour of India, there are a number of contenders eager to push to the front of the queue.
Foakes’ Surrey team-mate Jamie Smith has no shortage of admirers, Somerset’s James Rew enjoyed a superb breakout season in 2023 and white-ball regular Phil Salt is keen to make the move across formats.
But there is also a compelling candidate at Chester-le-street. Robinson was outstanding as Durham stormed to the Division Two title last season, scoring three centuries and 931 runs at a strike-rate of 88.66 to mark himself out as a ‘Bazball’ natural. In the field he contributed 37 catches and 10 stumpings. That won him a place on England Lions’ winter series against India A, and the 25-year-old is not shying away from the possibility of a swift promotion ahead of Durham’s topflight return against Hampshire today.
“You see articles all the time, people putting stuff online, and it sounds like the media think there’s going to be changes with England,” he told the PA news agency.
“Whether it’s me or someone else, who knows, but that’s an exciting place to be at the start of the season. coming through at a time when England’s It’s a bit of a shootout in a way. attacking philosophy, led by
“Things like the Lions call-up head coach Brendon Mccullum and show you you’re not that far away. It captain Ben Stokes, chimes with his might just be about who starts the own instincts. best. “That’s the way I’ve always played,
“That’s not me putting pressure I like to score runs and hit boundaries,” on myself but it is an exciting oppor- he said. tunity to really put your name in the “I remember opening the batting hat if something was to happen and for Kent against Northamptonshire changes are to be made. once and getting 100 off 100 balls.
“Coaches talk about having Everyone was asking, ‘Are you in a healthy competition all the time and rush to get somewhere?.’ that’s what drives people onwards, “It’s a breath of fresh air for me knowing someone is on your tail. that it’s becoming more the norm to
“I’m used to that, before I was here go about things that way.
I was at Kent and I had Jordan Cox “I score quickly and hit the ball in and Sam Billings around me so I’ve areas that some players don’t. always had that feeling of trying to “Batters are there to score runs, force my way in.” it doesn’t matter how many you
Robinson is also pleased to be face.”
Things like the Lions call-up show you you’re not that far away. It might just be about who starts the best