Ollie Robinson expected to be fit for Grenada Test

GEORGE DOBELL: England's seamers were in the field for nearly 190 overs in West Indies' first innings in Barbados so the availability of Robinson and Craig Overton (illness) gives them the opportunity to freshen up the attack

Ollie Robinson should be fully fit and available for the third Test in Grenada, according to interim head coach, Paul Collingwood.

Robinson missed the first two Tests after suffering a back spasm during the warm-up match in Antigua. It was a similar injury which forced him off the pitch in the final Test of the Ashes, in Hobart, and has revived questions about his general fitness.

But with England's seamers in the field for more nearly 190 overs in West Indies' first innings in Barbados, there are likely to be some tired legs ahead of the final Test which starts on Thursday. The availability of Robinson and Craig Overton, who has recovered from his exertions in the first Test, gives England an opportunity to freshen up the attack if required.

Either way, the England management are keen not to over work any of the players in training this week. Only those who didn’t play in the second Test are expected at training on Tuesday, with another light session planned for Wednesday.

"Robinson not played in the first two Tests, but it looks as though he is ready and available," Collingwood said.

^{Craig Overton [Gareth Copley/Getty Images]}

"Craig Overton has overcome illness, too. We will look at the wicket in Grenada and see what make-up of the team is suited to take 20 wickets.

"We have got to be smart on how much the boys are going to do. We don't want to tire them out before the next Test match. The boys have to trust their techniques and how they go about things because there won't be much training for the guys who played in this Test."

Robinson could come in for Chris Woakes in the final Test. Despite going into the last couple of Tests as England's attack leader, Woakes has claimed only two wickets at a cost of 86 apiece. He was the sixth bowler Joe Root turned to on the fourth day of the match and, having played both the first two Tests, looked especially weary in Barbados.

"It's been two really gruelling Test matches," Collingwood said. "Players put heart and soul into them so I can imagine guys are tired and exhausted after ten days of hard cricket on tough surfaces. Let's see what the surface is like in Grenada and hopefully it has a bit more grass on it then you will see Woakes with more energy."

Another man who will be hoping to play in Grenada is Matt Parkinson. A wrist spinner would have been a very useful to England in the closing stages of the Barbados Test, though Collingwood suggested he would be inclined to pick the same team again.

"In hindsight, you see how the wicket's finished and turning out there and… I think the bowlers we went in with, I was hoping we'd be able to get 20 wickets with them," he said. "I know we had two debutants there who I thought did fantastically well on that surface. They have been difficult wickets for everyone, seamers and the spinners, to take 20 wickets. I wouldn't necessarily say we had the wrong line-up."

^{Collingwood was full of praise for Ben Stokes [Gareth Copley/Getty Images]}

Collingwood also had praise for Ben Stokes, who produced a memorable century in Barbados. Stokes endured a miserable Ashes, but Collingwood feels that, now he has had time to regain full fitness after his long layoff, he is a much better cricketer,

"He's phenomenal," Collingwood said. "What a great innings. He's box office. Everyone was watching. You didn't want to miss a ball he was facing.

"He was going into the Ashes with not much cricket under his belt, but he's fit, he's determined and you can tell he wants to make a difference in the dressing room as a leader. When he's preparing himself like he is at the moment he certainly leads.

"He wants to go out in the middle and put in big performances. He wants the ball in hand, score the runs. He's doing just that at the moment. It's amazing when he's got this kind of attitude, as we all know he's one of the best. Long may it continue."