Uncapped wicket-keeper added to England squad for New Zealand Tests

Uncapped wicket-keeper Ollie Robinson has been added to the England Men’s Test squad for the ongoing tour of New Zealand for the Crowe-Thorpe Trophy.

Robinson came into the squad as a replacement for Jordan Cox, who sustained a fractured right thumb during the team’s warm-up period over the weekend in Queenstown.

This marks the 25-year-old Robinson’s first call-up to the senior England squad. He has delivered solid performances for Durham in the County Championship, boasting an average of 48 with the bat in 2022 and an impressive 58 in 2023.

Robinson has also demonstrated his skill behind the stumps, with 92 Championship dismissals across the past two seasons.

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A regular in England Lions squads since 2019, Robinson has gained valuable experience on tours to Australia, Sri Lanka, and India in recent years.

It’s worth noting, he has become the second player bearing the same name to receive an England call-up within the last three years. He does not have any familial ties to the fast bowler Ollie Robinson.

Interestingly, both athletes hail from the county of Kent and share the same birthdate — December 1.

Robinson will join the England squad on Saturday, meanwhile Ollie Pope donned the wicket-keeping gloves in the first Test against New Zealand, which got underway in Christchurch earlier today.

Squads

England: Ben Stokes (c), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ollie Robinson, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.

New Zealand: Tom Latham (c), Tom Blundell, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Nathan Smith, Tim Southee, Kane Williamson, Will Young

Tour Itinerary:

First Test: 28 November-2 December 2024, Hagley Oval, Christchurch

Second Test: 6-10 December 2024, Basin Reserve, Wellington

Third Test: 14-18 December 2024, Seddon Park, Hamilton

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WATCH: England pacer concedes 43 runs in an over

England pace bowler Ollie Robinson registered an unwanted record of bowling the second-most expensive over in First-Class cricket history.

The pacers, playing for Sussex during a County Championship match against Leicestershire on Wednesday, was smashed for 43 runs in a single over consisting of nine deliveries.

Ollie Robinson has represented England in 20 Tests since his debut in 2021.

The historic feet was achieved during a Division Two match at the County Ground in Hove when the right-arm pacer was hit for an overall five sixes, three of which came on no-balls, three fours and a single by Leicestershire’s Louis Kimber in the 59th over of Leicestershire’s second innings.

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Kimber, who was batting at 72 off 56 balls before Robinson’s over, amassed an unbeaten 109 off just 65 balls at the conclusion of the over.

The figures of 59th over, Robinson’s 13th in the second inning were; 6, 6nb, 4, 6, 4, 6nb, 4, 6nb, 1.


Ollie Robinson, by conceding 43 in a single over, also surpassed former England Test pacer Alex Tudor who was hit for 38 runs in an over in 1998.

It is pertinent to mention that the most expensive over in the history of First-Class cricket was bowled by former New Zealand bowler Robert Vance in 1990 when he conceded a record 77 runs.

Vance had bowled 17 no-balls in that over.

Days earlier, England spinner Shoaib Bashir conceded 38 runs in an over in a County Championship match between Surrey and Worcestershire in which Dan Lawrence smashed five consecutive sixes.

Lawrence had notched up his century before Shoaib Bashir bowled the 128th over of the innings. The former England batter charged down the pitch and smashed the first ball out of the ground.

Three straight sixes followed and the fifth was a slog-sweep over mid-wicket, leaving Bashir scratching his chin.

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Robinson returns as ECB announces squad for South Africa Tests

LONDON: The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced a strong 14-member squad for their home Test series against South Africa, scheduled to commence on August 17.  

Sussex seamer Ollie Robinson, who last donned England jersey in the supreme format in the Caribbean in March, has made his return to the English side.

England all-rounder Ben Stokes, who recently called time on his ODI career, will continue to lead the side in red-ball cricket.

The two teams will compete in a four-day tour match before the three-match series. The ECB will announce the squad for the tour match in due course.

England Men’s Test Squad

Ben Stokes (Durham) captain, James Anderson (Lancashire), Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Harry Brook (Yorkshire), Zak Crawley (Kent), Ben Foakes (Surrey), Jack Leach (Somerset), Alex Lees (Durham), Craig Overton (Somerset), Matthew Potts (Durham), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Ollie Robinson (Sussex), Joe Root (Yorkshire)

Test Series Schedule

First ODI: August 17-21
Second Test: August 25-29
Third Test: September 8-12

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ECB suspends Ollie Robinson from international cricket

London: England fast bowler Ollie Robinson has been suspended from “all international cricket” after historical racist and sexist tweets came to light earlier this week when he made his test debut against New Zealand, the country’s cricket board (ECB) said on Sunday.

Robinson, 27, was the pick of England’s bowlers in the drawn test with seven wickets in the match and had released a statement on Wednesday apologising for his “thoughtless and irresponsible” tweets.

“England and Sussex bowler Ollie Robinson has been suspended from all international cricket pending the outcome of a disciplinary investigation following historic tweets he posted in 2012 and 2013,” the ECB said in a statement.

“He will not be available for selection for the second Test against New Zealand starting at Edgbaston on Thursday 10 June. Robinson will leave the England camp immediately and return to his county.”

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