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Ollie Robinson bunked off school to take in an Ashes series Down Under and experienced the joy of defeating Australians on their own soil during his apprenticeship. Now for the graduation at the Gabba.
Robinson, 28, looks certain to be one of the seamers England invest in to exploit what are expected to be extremely bowler-friendly conditions in Brisbane later this week.
Selection will be the fulfilment of a dream inspired by his 13-year-old self recognising the good in the 2006-07 side whitewashed by an Australia hell-bent on revenge.
England's Ollie Robinson is aiming to make an impact on the Ashes, which start on Wednesday
Robinson remembers watching Freddie Flintoff at the 2006-07 Ashes and was inspired
‘There were moments in that series, like when Freddie Flintoff got 89 one day, when England took it to the Aussies and growing up that’s what I wanted to do,’ said Robinson, whose father Ian requested extra leave during term time at The King’s School, Canterbury, to take in a month of that particular series.
‘It’s how I wanted to play my cricket. It was massively inspiring to watch that as a youngster and now hopefully try to emulate Flintoff and how other players went about it as well.’
There were fears he would join the one-cap wonder club when historic racist and sexist tweets emerged during his Test debut against New Zealand last summer, but he re-emerged after serving his ban full of contrition and determination to cash in on a second chance.
‘I thought at one stage I wasn’t going to be playing for England again. So, it’s been quite a rollercoaster over the last six to eight months and to
