Ollie Robinson – England confirm goalkeeper’s trial call-up
Durham goalkeeper Ollie Robinson has been called up for England’s Test tour of New Zealand to replace the injured Jordan Cox.
Cox was ruled out of the tour after suffering a broken right thumb on Sunday before the second day of England’s warm-up match against the Prime Ministers’ XI in Queenstown.
Uncapped Cox had been prepared to take up the gloves throughout the series with Jamie Smith on paternity leave. Ollie Pope then took up the gloves for the first Test, which began in Christchurch on Thursday, and was presented with his first Test cap by Jacob Bethell.

Like Cox, Robinson started out in Kent before taking his talents to Durham, where he thrived. Since moving to the North East he has averaged 53 in the County Championship, with five centuries among 1,802 runs, at an impressive strike rate of 86.22, helping Durham achieve promotion in 2023 and then stabilize as a team from Division One this summer. He also has 92 dismissals behind the stumps to his name in the previous two seasons.

Robinson, who will turn 26 on Sunday, was unlikely to arrive in New Zealand in time for the first Test in any case, but will only arrive in Christchurch on Saturday, the third day of the first Test, because he had begun the process of renewing his passport when he received the call. A regular in the Lions set-up since 2019, he was due to tour Australia early next year.

He will immediately come into consideration for the second test in Wellington, which begins next Friday (December 6). Robinson was unlucky to miss out on Smith earlier in the summer when England went looking for a new goalkeeper, but he could get the chance to make his case over the next three weeks.

Interestingly, he is the second player with the same name to earn an England call-up in the last three years. He is not related to the other Ollie Robinson, although both players were born in Kent and share a birth date of December 1.

Source link

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here