Ollie Robinson will be ready to play in the pivotal fourth Test in Manchester, which is good news for England’s Ashes hopes.
Robinson sustained a back spasm on the opening day of the third Test in Leeds and was unable to bowl during Australia’s second innings as England secured a three-wicket victory to remain in contention for the Ashes.
The 29-year-old has proclaimed himself 100 percent healthy to face Australia at Old Trafford on July 19 and has quelled any lingering concerns regarding the injury.
“That medical team said that it’s likely to have happened because I played back-to-back Test matches, and bowled 15 overs of bumpers at Lord’s,” Robinson wrote in his column for Wisden.com.
“So sometimes these things come around, but then they go just as quickly as well. I’m 100 percent fit for Manchester.”
Fellow seamer Stuart Broad (16 wickets) is the only England player with more scalps than Robinson (10) in this Ashes series, and Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes appear to have a selection conundrum on their hands as they attempt to fit all of their quality quicks into the final XI for Manchester.
Mark Wood and Chris Woakes performed admirably at Headingley as England reduced the series deficit to 2-1, while Broad’s recent dominance over Australian opener David Warner makes him the apparent first-choice seamer.
Both veteran rapid James Anderson and inexperienced seamer Josh Tongue are included in the 14-man selection for the pivotal fourth Test of an already epic series. Anderson and Tongue have been used by England throughout the series.
Robinson stated that participating in the first three matches of the series was an honor, and he hopes to continue to make an impact as the series progresses. “I’ve got mates who have never really enjoyed cricket messaging me saying how good it is,” Robinson wrote.
“It’s an amazing thing to be a part of. It makes me proud to be English to be honest, to see the impact it’s having on people, and seeing them loving what we’re doing. In the end, that’s why we play the game. For the glory of it.”
England squad for fourth Test: Ben Stokes (c), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
