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‘At the peak of his powers’: Robinson gets Gillespie’s backing for England

<span>Photograph: Warren Little/Getty Images</span>
Photograph: Warren Little/Getty Images

Jason Gillespie was Yorkshire’s head coach when Ollie Robinson was let go by the club due to a lack of professionalism but, seven years on, the former Australia quick is convinced England have a meticulous Test-quality seamer who is ready to go.

In his last outing Robinson claimed 13 wickets as Sussex swarmed to victory at Glamorgan, including a career-best nine for 78. Matthew Maynard, the home side’s seasoned coach, said Robinson’s performance was as good as he had seen in county cricket, noting his ability to extract movement from a seemingly placid pitch.

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With 265 first-class wickets at 21 runs apiece, and plenty of weeks chalked up in the England bubble over the past 12 months, it is beginning to feel only a matter of time before the 27-year-old makes his international debut. Uncertainty over player availability, due to those playing in the Indian Premier League and quarantine on arrival home, means this could come when New Zealand arrive for two Tests in June.

Before then comes a chance to bowl to the England captain in today’s meeting with his former club, Yorkshire, at Hove. Gillespie, previously coach of the White Rose, admits it was a tough call back in 2014 when Robinson was sacked after a string of late arrivals to – or absences from – training. A year earlier he had moved up from Kent with his mother, Sandra, whose partner Paul Farbrace was second XI coach, and made a white-ball debut. But the young man struggled to adjust to life away from his friends.

Since joining Sussex the following summer Robinson has shone with the red ball, however. Gillespie, who was then reunited with him during a recent three-year spell at the club, fancies Joe Root and Chris Silverwood, the England head coach, will not be disappointed if they take the plunge and hand him a Test cap.

Jason Gillespie, now the coach of South Australia, says Ollie Robinson is ‘comfortably the most researched and well-prepared fast bowler I have come across in professional cricket’.
Jason Gillespie, now the coach of South Australia, says Ollie Robinson is ‘comfortably the most researched and well-prepared fast bowler I have come across in professional cricket’. Photograph: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

“Ollie is at the peak of his powers right now,” Gillespie tells the Guardian. “I have no doubt if given the opportunity, he wouldn’t let anyone down. He’s big, tall [6ft 5in] and hits the pitch hard, gets movement off the seam and can swing the ball, too. He has a lot of street smarts, too. He operates around 80mph but when his beans are going, mid-80s and above. With his height and his discipline, he’s quick enough.

“Back at Yorkshire there were some issues with professionalism. It was a timing thing, really. If he was there now he’d be flying. But back then he was a young bloke away from where he grew up and maybe a touch naive. When we crossed paths again at Sussex he was a very different individual and, hand on heart, I can say it has been a privilege to see how he had matured and turned himself into a Test-quality bowler.”

A common theme when asking about Robinson on the county circuit is his pre-match preparation. It is something which Gillespie says may surprise a few at Yorkshire but, like many a young man, is simply the result of having grown up off the field.

At Yorkshire there were some issues with professionalism. It was a timing thing. If he was there now he’d be flying

Jason Gillespie

“Ollie is a bit of a cricket badger, to be honest,”he says. “I would say he is comfortably the most researched and well-prepared fast bowler I have come across in professional cricket. He does his homework and comes to team meetings just full of ideas.

“He watches footage, gets information and formulates plans for each batsman with either the new or old ball. He is a great example to others and it’s why Sussex gave him a leadership role with the vice-captaincy. He doesn’t shy away from the physical work but ultimately he bowls cricket balls – he is fit for purpose. The biggest issue sometimes is getting the ball out his hands; he’s a dream in that sense.”

This role as a wicket-taking workhorse is one of reasons that England view Robinson as a candidate for the Ashes tour next winter. So too was his seven-wicket haul when the Lions beat Australia A away from home for the first time at the MCG last year.

“I was fortunate enough to work with the Lions players for 10 days during that trip,” adds Gillespie, “and the feedback I got from the Australia A batsmen after I’d left the camp was that Robinson was the best bowler on show.

“He’s played club cricket for St George in Sydney and so has bowled a lot of overs with the Kookaburra ball on good batting pitches. He should certainly be strongly considered for an Ashes tour.”

So it is a ringing endorsement from Gillespie during a chat that was briefly interrupted by a kangaroo bouncing in front of his car while driving home from the Adelaide Oval; like Skippy, Robinson is clearly one to keep an eye out for.