Ollie Robinson’s dream England comeback: 3 wickets in a maiden first over at Lord’s

LONDON (AP) — It was around Christmas that Ollie Robinson thought he would never play for England again.

>England at the time was playing in Australia and Robinson was nowhere near.

>But circumstances put him back on England's radar.

>England lost the Ashes 4-1 and was resetting. Coach Brendon McCullum messaged Robinson at the start of the season that the combative fast bowler would be reconsidered.

>Robinson, despite 76 wickets in 20 tests, was dropped in 2024 for being slack on fitness and not a team-first player. But this season he was made captain of Sussex, owned to being a leader, and took 18 wickets in the ongoing County Championship. He was impossible to overlook and back in England's good graces.

>With Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse unavailable to play the first home test against New Zealand on Thursday at Lord's, Robinson was given the new ball and having to prove himself again, with the added pressure of defending England's humbling first innings total of 140.

>It turned into a dream comeback. He dismissed Devon Conway with his third ball, Kane Williamson with his fifth and Rachin Ravindra with his sixth in a three-wicket maiden first over. The Lord's crowd was chanting his name before it was completed.

>“The first over I couldn't feel my legs, I was so nervous,” Robinson told the BBC. “To get the first wicket, the emotion coming was incredible.”

>He told broadcaster Sky Sports, “It was so loud. I was in a bit of a daze and just trying to focus. The crowd were amazing, it's one of the loudest I've heard them here.”

>He admitted he underwent an attitude change this season.

>“I was in a place where I never thought I'd play for England again,” he said. “To get the text from Baz (McCullum) shifted my mindset. To get back in the team, I knew the date of the first day of the test and there was a lot of work. I've tried my best to get back in the condition for today. I know there's a lot of hard work ahead.”

>By stumps he had 4-10 in six overs, three of them maidens. New Zealand was staggering at 61-6 and England was on top after day one.

>Robinson didn't finish his previous test in February 2024 because of a back injury against India in Ranchi. That same month, New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson also hurt his back against South Africa in Mount Maunganui.

>Jamieson's third stress fracture in three seasons forced him into a long cautious recovery that culminated in his test comeback on Thursday. He took 5-62, his first test five-for in five years, and would have been the day's star until Robinson got the ball in his right hand.

>“They bowled so well, we knew we had to follow suit,” Robinson said. “Both teams hit the stumps a lot so credit to both teams. We've still got a a job to do and mop them up in the morning.”

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>AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket