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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Matthew Cooper

Ollie Robinson compared to Australia hero Glenn McGrath on England Test return

Ollie Robinson has made his return to the England Test team for the first time since the Ashes and Steve Harmison has compared the seamer to Australia legend Glenn McGrath.

Robinson enjoyed an impressive start to his international career last year as he picked up 39 wickets at an average of 21.28 in his first nine Test matches. However, after his fitness was criticised during the Ashes by England bowling coach Jon Lewis, Robinson's career stalled.

The 28-year-old did not play against the West Indies in March after failing to recover from a back spasm and he then suffered numerous setbacks which has limited him to just three County Championship appearances for Sussex, with Robinson dealing with a tooth infection and food poisoning as well as back issues.

However, he impressed for the England Lions against South Africa and was rewarded with a spot in the side for the second Test against the Proteas at Old Trafford. And former England quick Harmison believes Robinson can learn from the way McGrath bowled towards the end of his career.

In an interview with the i, Harmison said: "Robinson did well against the South Africans at Canterbury. I'm pleased he looked back to his best. He looked as fit as he was when he first came into the team.

"There's no question of the talent of Ollie Robinson. It was the mindset, the professionalism that was questioned and unfortunately for Ollie he bowls at 78 miles per hour and if you bowl 78mph there's two things you have to be and one of those is extremely fit.

Robinson has been urged to copy Australia great Glenn McGrath by former England quick Steve Harmison (Philip Brown/Popperfoto via Getty Images/Getty Images)

"You can't bowl 40 overs in a Test match and drop below 78mph, you can't because you just get punished. The other is you need to be extremely accurate – and he is because he gets the ball to bounce from such a full length.

"Glenn McGrath bowled the latter part of his career, his last three or four years, at 78-80mph. McGrath never gave you a bad ball. He didn't give you anything. That's what Ollie Robinson has got to do.

"He is a talented boy and if he can get things right between his ears so he is close to [Stuart] Broad and [James] Anderson when it comes to how they look after themselves then he's got a huge future for England."

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