England cricket team in action during Ashes 2023© AFP
Former Australian cricket team skipper Michael Clarke was extremely critical of England fast bowler Ollie Robinson and said that he needs to concentrate on his bowling more than on-field antics. Robinson received a lot of flak for giving a send-off to Usman Khawaja during the first Ashes Test in Edgbaston. The visitors were able to power through on the final day of the match and register a brilliant two-wicket victory. In a recent interaction, Clarke said that Robinson is currently playing for England because bigger names like Jofra Archer and Chris Wood are out of action while suggesting that he needs to prove himself more before losing his temper on the field.
“He needs to shoosh,” Clarke said on the Big Sports Breakfast.
“If England were fully fit you wouldn’t even get a game, Ollie. If Jofra Archer was playing, or if (Chris) Wood had been playing and was fully fit, old mate – I don’t know what town he plays for – he’d be back playing clubbies. I actually don’t know what he’s doing. If James Anderson is saying all this, he’s got street cred. He’s played 180 Test matches , he’s got a lot of wickets. This dude has been around for five minutes.”
“He needs to concentrate on taking wickets .. Ollie, just keep taking five-fors and then you can say what you like,” he added.
Meanwhile, veteran fast bowler James Anderson on Saturday vowed England would be “more positive, more aggressive, more entertaining” when they look to level the Ashes series at Lord’s next week.
Australia won the opening Test at Edgbaston by two wickets after England skipper Ben Stokes had declared his team’s first innings at 393 for eight.
Some critics said that decision allowed Australia to keep a foot in the door of the match which they then gratefully exploited.
“I think we’ll go more positive, more aggressive, more entertaining,” said 40-year-old Anderson who endured a tough first Test in which he took just one wicket.
“We want to try and make sure people go home happy as they did each day at Edgbaston,” he added.
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