Ollie Robinson wants to prove himself as worthy heir to James Anderson and Stuart Broad

GEORGE DOBELL IN MOUNT MAUNGANUI: Robinson took two wickets in New Zealand's first innings with deliveries that looked like outswingers but nipped back. It was, he later explained, a delivery he had fine-tuned with Anderson

robinson17022304

Ollie Robinson hopes the skills he is picking up from England's senior bowlers will enable him to be "a worthy bearer of the baton" of quality swing and seam bowling.

James Anderson and Stuart Broad equalled the record for the most wickets as a Test partnership on the second day in Mount Maunganui. They have now taken 1,001 wickets in Tests they have played together; the same number as Australia pair Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne. 

But it was Robinson who was the pick of England's seamers with figures of 4 for 54.

Afterwards, however, he was full of praise for the generosity of England's record-breaking bowlers and the skills he had picked up from them. 

"To be on the field with them is a privilege for me," Robinson said. "I'm enjoying every minute of it. 

robinson17022305

Ollie Robinson wants to be a worthy successor to Stuart Broad and James Anderson [Getty Images]

"They've been very open and honest with me since I've come into the [England team] environment. That has been amazing for me and hopefully I can be a worthy bearer of the baton, if you like."

Robinson took two wickets in New Zealand's first innings with deliveries that looked like outswingers but nipped back to either bowl the batter or trap them leg before. It was, he later explained, a delivery he had fine-tuned after working with Anderson.

"I learnt it off Jimmy a little bit," Robinson explained. "I'm trying to present it as an outswinger and get it to wobble back in or hold. I bowl it by tilting the seam slightly differently to how you would hold a conventional outswinger. I'm just trying to get any seam movement that I can."

He also revealed he had learned from Anderson and Broad's use of the crease. Instead of simply bowling every delivery from the same position, Robinson explained that he had learned to bowl from deliveries from wide of the crease and others from close to the stumps in order to make it harder for batters to know which balls to leave and others to play.

"Yes, I think a big thing for me is use of the crease," he said. "I've learnt from Jimmy and Broady since coming into the England environment.

robinson17022306

Robinson claimed four New Zealand wickets at the Bay Oval [Getty Images]

"In county cricket you sort of run up and bowl from mid-crease. It's quite generic. Whereas in international cricket, the batters are that much better. You have to be more on it and use the crease and use your skills to get more out of it."

Meanwhile Tom Blundell, who made a high-class 138 to keep New Zealand in the game, admitted he was "in awe" of Anderson and Broad. 

"These guys are the greats of the game and they're bowling at you, which is a cool experience,” he said.

“It's something that really gets me into the fighting mode and takes me to the next level. It's always nice when you're facing the world's best."

 


Related Topics

Comments

LATEST NEWS

STAY UP TO DATE Sign up to our newsletter...
SIGN UP

Thank You! Thank you for subscribing!

Units 7-8, 35-37 High St, Barrow upon Soar, Loughborough, LE128PY

website@thecricketer.com

Welcome to www.thecricketer.com - the online home of the world’s oldest cricket magazine. Breaking news, interviews, opinion and cricket goodness from every corner of our beautiful sport, from village green to national arena.