'The laws are the laws': Robinson breaks ranks to back Aussies over Bairstow incident - 'smallest moments get spiced up'

Having claimed the title of England’s chief protagonist in this series, England seamer Ollie Robinson has made the surprise admission by saying he could understand Australia’s stance on Jonny Bairstow’s stumping at Lord’s.

Routinely described as against the spirit of cricket by most England players for the past fortnight, Robinson said he felt the crowd had largely moved on from the drama at Headingley.

“It didn’t feel as hostile as I was expecting,” Robinson wrote in a column for Wisden. 

“But then, at the end of the day, the mood probably calmed down a little bit because the laws are the laws with the Jonny thing and I can understand both sides.

“I’m glad it’s settled down, but I’ve no doubt there will be something next week and then the week after! I think that’s just the nature of the series, the smallest moments get spiced up.”

Alex Carey’s controversial stumping of Bairstow when the Englishmen thought the ball was dead at the end of an over after ducking a Cameron Green bouncer has ignited debate in the cricket world with even the rival Prime Ministers trading barbs over the incident.

Jonny Bairstow looks frustrated after being run out by Alex Carey. (Photo by Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images)

England captain Ben Stokes claims he would have recalled a batter in the same situation but Australian skipper Pat Cummins was unrepentant because Carey had thrown the ball while Bairstow was in his crease and the umpires had not called over, therefore the play was not dead.

It came at a critical moment in England’s run-chase in the second Test at Lord’s which ultimately ended 43 runs short despite Stokes’ majestic 155.

Robinson’s view on the incident is unusual given he has been needling the Australians throughout the series – he was sanctioned for a foul-mouthed send-off after dismissing Usman Khawaja in the first Test, called out Ricky Ponting as a sledger of yesteryear and deried the touring team’s tailenders as three No.11s.

He also revealed pace spearhead Mark Wood was on all fours barking like a dog just moments before going out to Headingley to destroy the Australian batting line-up in last week’s third Test.

Describing his first spell of the third Test as the fastest thing he’s seen in his life, Robinson said Wood had the English team in stitches in the sheds before play.

“Woody’s just got this mad, unique energy. There’s no one else like him. You think he’s drunk half the time yet he doesn’t touch a drop,” he added.

“Bear in mind this is a bloke who, 10 minutes before we went out, literally at 10:50am, was on all-fours barking on the changing room floor, going, “There’s a dog in the dressing room. There’s a dog in here, lads…”

Robinson said he could tell by the way world-class batters like Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja were being troubled by the 150km/h thunderbolts that Wood was unnerving the Aussies. Wood’s average speed was 145.62km/h for the spell.

“There was one ball that Marnus Labuschagne played, and after it he had a sort of wry, awkward smile on his face,” Robinson said. 

“Even Uzzie, who obviously plays pace really well and has been in such good form, even he struggled with the pace at times. He went from having this quiet persona at the crease to suddenly smiling and joking, trying to give off the feelgood vibes that he was fine.

“Every batter during that spell was doing the same thing. It was awkwardly fast and awkwardly uncomfortable, and as a batter you’re trying to convey that you’re fine when you’re really not. Us bowlers were saying that if we’d been batting out there, we might just have kicked our poles over.”

Robinson has declared himself “100 per cent” fit to resume bowling in the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford, after overcoming back spasms.

He limped from the field after bowling 11.2 overs in the third Test at Headingley last week, and did not send down another ball in the match.

England’s Ollie Robinson celebrates after taking the wicket of Australia’s Usman Khawaja. (Photo by David Davies/PA Images via Getty Images)

Even if fit, the 29-year-old is no guarantee to face Australia, with a fresh James Anderson expected to return for his home fixture in Manchester.

England will likely want to keep Stuart Broad in their side given his record against David Warner, while Wood and seamer Chris Woakes were instrumental in the Headingley victory.

But Robinson said if picked, he would have no issue bowling. “Sometimes these things come around, but then they go just as quickly as well. I’m 100 per cent fit for Manchester,” Robinson said in his Wisden column.

“It was just a sudden, quick stabbing feeling in the back. I think we caught it earlier than I have done in the past. I had some acupuncture, a bit of treatment, and I was fine after that. 

“I was available to bowl on the third day if I’d been needed.”

Robinson’s fitness is one hurdle cleared for England, with Ben Stokes still no certainty to bowl after knee and glute issues.

with AAP