Australia great Matthew Hayden labelled Ollie Robinson as a “forgettable cricketer”.© AFP
Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden has lashed out at England pacer Ollie Robinson for his antics in the first Ashes Test, which the visitors won by two wickets earlier this week, at Edgbason. Robinson hogged all the limelight for his duels with Australia centurion Usman Khawaja, especially in the first innings. After dismissing Khawaja, who had already done the damage with his 141, Robinson was seen throwing expletives towards the Australian batter. He was also seen having an exchange with the veteran opener during the second innings.
In his defence, Robinson cited the examples of Ricky Ponting and other former Australian cricketers over the Khawaja sledging episode.
“We’ve all seen Ricky Ponting and other Aussies do the same to us, and just because the shoe is on the other foot it’s not received well,” Robinson had said.
Hayden labelled Robinson as a “forgettable cricketer”, and urged the Australian batters to target him as he doesn’t have pace.
“That’s how you combat England as well. As soon as Pat Cummins started coming at Joe Root and hit a couple of sixes. Then the other bloke, he’s a forgettable cricketer. A fast bowler that is bowling 124 (kph) nude nuts and he’s got a mouth from the south,” Hayden said on Pat and Heals podcast.
“Someone like him, you can just go, ‘Brother, I’m coming at ya’. Davey Warner can do that, right. He can just say, ‘You’re bowling 120km…’,” he added.
Khawaja was the wrecker in chief for Australia as he followed up his century in the first innings with a well-crafted 65 during their chase.
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