Two balls later and the crowd were singing Robinson’s name as he rocked his shoulders towards Kiwi great Kane Williamson. Perfect length, Kane not able to get a proper stride. An inside edge to short leg.
Yet more to come. Rachin Ravindra. Another left-hander and another ball jagging down the Lord’s slope. Only pad between ball and stump. A triple-wicket maiden and a return to go down in English cricketing folklore.
There was still time for one more trick of the hand. Daryl Mitchell not playing a shot, but this time the ball darted up the slope to uproot the unguarded off stump. Robinson sleeps with figures of 4-10, New Zealand on life support at 61-6.
The irony in all of this is the party line from Key, McCullum and Stokes on Robinson’s prolonged absence.
Their demand has always been for Robinson to hit “82, 83 or 84 mph”. On the first day at Lord’s, Robinson’s average speed was 80.3mph, the slowest of the eight seamers on show – including injured New Zealander Matt Henry. His fastest speed was 82.3mph – which he hit once – and slowest was 77.1.
Where Robinson excelled was in expert use of the helpful conditions with immaculate line and length, topped off with fingertip control to have the ball skipping off the seam.
Robinson ended the day on 80 Test wickets at an average of 21.9. Not since the legendary Fred Trueman hung up his boots in 1965 has any England bowler taken that many Test wickets at a better average. Using the same 80-wicket qualification, Robinson’s strike-rate of 47.9 is the best since Sydney Barnes, whose career ended 112 years ago.
Is Robbo’s return bittersweet? The wonder of what might have been, especially on those juicy pitches in Australia?
Perhaps it could only have been now that Robinson was ready for this moment – he admitted he was “nowhere near” being able to play a role in the Ashes.
So, Robinson is back. On this showing, for how long is up to him.
Here’s to you, Ollie Robinson. England need you more than you will know.
