James Kirtley was always confident Ollie Robinson would follow up his sensational first Test of the summer in the right way.
He just didn’t expect it to take quite so long.
The Sussex seamer followed his stunning match haul of 7-77 in the first Test of the year against New Zealand in June by taking 8-80 in the series opener versus Pakistan.
That was followed by eight more wickets at a cost of 35 in the second meeting, giving him combined figures of 15-102 in two Lord’s Tests this year.
There has been an injury, a few quieter times and a bit of a wait in between those two series.
But, as the red balls were dug out again for the final weeks of the international and county seasons, Robinson re-started as he had meant to go on.
Opening the England attack with Sussex club-mate Jofra Archer at Headingley, he took a wicket with the first ball of the match.
Back against New Zealand, he had claimed three in his first over.
The first Test against Pakistan was the first time since 1947 that two players from the same county had opened the bowling for England.
Ironically, it was while practising with Archer at Hove that Robinson’s season was put on hold as he suffered.
We did not know it at the time as I spoke to Kirtley, the former Sussex and England paceman who now coaches the bowlers at Hove later on the same day.
The question was about whether Robinson would follow what he did at Lord’s.
We thought it would be at the Oval against New Zealand, not Headingley versus Pakistan.
But his words still ring very true.
Kirtley said: “It would be easy to try and top it or improve on it or try harder or all these other things.
“But actually it’s important for him to just go about it in the same way, the same approach, find that rhythm, find that length, find the deliveries that are going to work on that pitch.
“I've always said he has got a forensic interest in the game and he will work it out as he did at Lords of what's required.
“And I'm sure he'll work out what he needs to do.”
Sussex have seen a decent amount of Robinson running in to bowl for them in recent seasons.
Not so Archer, although he visits Hove and, for example, was there at the final Vitality Blast fixture of the summer against Hampshire.
But Kirtley made it clear he loves to see the county’s player shine for England.
Asked about Robinson’s super show in the first Test of the summer, he admitted: “I have to say, I was quite emotional there, that first over.
“No one doubts his skill. He had probably been through the wringer a little bit but there's no better bowler in those conditions in England.
“He was able to exploit them and show his skill, which is something that no one's ever doubted.”
The very first Robinson over of this Test summer, in which he took three wickets, has special memories for Kirtley
“I was watching it live. I was trying to watch my 11-year-old son bowl and he, in fact, got three wickets in an over as well shortly after Ollie.
“And he said, ‘Whatever Ollie can do, I can do as well, Dad’. And I was like, ‘That will do!’.
“But, with Ollie, he has worked hard, we've worked hard.
Deadline day...
Murray reveals one position Hurzeler might want to strengthen on deadline day
Follow live updates from Albion on transfer deadline day
Hurzeler 'relaxed' over Ferdi as Albion head into deadline day
“The club with the support and everything else, whether it's from the medical team, the head coach trusting him with the captaincy, all those things contribute to a performance like that.
“And that's where Sussex can be really at their best.
“We worked out what is required in the right conditions, and he spoke about observing that there was more success to be had on that pitch at Lords, when the wobble seam and nip, and that's something we've worked very much on.
“Sometimes we have worked a little bit with maybe swinging the ball and actually he has been his most effective, and when he got those 70 odd wickets a few years back, that's the way he was bowling.
“We were identifying that probably sometimes in certain condition, that's when he's most effective.”
With 16 wickets in the Pakistan series so far at an average of 7.18, Sussex supporters will look forward to what Robinson can do in the third Test.
And then hopefully see him back with his county for the final Championship push.
Share