Ollie Robinson pulls out from County Select XI due to back stiffness

Ollie Robinson’s dream of a Test comeback has been yet again put on hold as he suffered a blow during a warm-up session. Robinson was out of action from County Select XI’s match against the touring New Zealand in Chelmsford  on May 26, due to back stiffness.

The pacer made his Test debut against New Zealand in 2021 at Lord’s and went on to scalp seven wickets in the match to emerge as a potent seamer. In his first-ever home season, Robinson bagged 28 wickets and was equally good during the away series in different conditions, during the Ashes. On that tour, worries about his fitness began to arise as he missed the Sydney Test due to a back spasm.

During the injury, England’s bowling coach Jon Lewis had expressed his concerns saying, “We’ve been pretty frank with him. And now it’s up to him to go and do the work.”

Even during the West Indies series away from home, Robinson was picked in the squad to lead the pace attack in the absence of the experienced James Anderson and Stuart Broad. But there again, he suffered another injury to his back during the warm-up game and had to sit out for the whole series. Due to a lack of substance in the team, the visitors lost the series miserably.

Robinson’s county season with Sussex began with various setbacks, including a tooth condition that forced him to wait until the arrival of Middlesex in early May to make his first appearance. Despite five first-innings wickets, he was troubled by food poisoning in his next game against Leicestershire.

Robinson will be sitting out of the first two games against New Zealand, and with the T20 Blast overpowering the county games, his only chance at redemption is the solitary Championship starting June 12 against Glamorgan in Cardiff, which might open the doors of the third and final Test of the series. Meanwhile, Middlesex’s Ethan Bamber was named his replacement in the County Select XI.