Fast bowler Ollie Robinson managed to rub certain former Australian cricketers the wrong way when he waded into Usman Khawaja doping the ‘F’ bomb on him twice during the 1st Ashes Test between England and Australia at Edgbaston. Robinson went on a foul-mouthed tirade against Khawaja after dismissing him in the first innings and then again had a word or two with the Australia opener in the second innings. Robinson’s tactics however backfired as Australia chased down 281 in the fourth innings to win the Ashes opener by two wickets and take a 1-0 lead in the series.
The Robinson-Khawaja incident did not sit well with a few ex-cricketers of Australia, including first Ricky Ponting and now Matthew Hayden. After Ponting flayed Robinson for his remarks on him, it was Hayden’s turn. During a conversation with former wicketkeeper Ian Healy, Hayden called Robinson a ‘forgettable cricketer’ and slapped a savage burn on him.
“That’s how you combat England as well. As soon as Pat Cummins started coming at Joe Root and hit a couple of sixes,” Hayden said. “Then the other bloke; he’s a forgettable cricketer. A fast bowler that is bowling 124 (kph) nude nuts and he’s got a mouth from the south.” When Healy asked, “Who, Ollie Robinson?”, Hayden replied, “Someone like him, you can just go, ‘Brother, I’m coming at ya’.
In a fiery response, Robinson said that he doesn’t care about the reaction he was getting for his sledge, and that such things are inevitable in a high-profile series such as The Ashes.
“It’s my first home Ashes and to get the big wicket at the time was special for me. I think Uzzie played unbelievably well. To get that wicket for us as a team at the time was massive. We all want that theatre of the game, don’t we? So I’m here to provide it,” he said. “I don’t really care how it’s perceived, to be honest. It’s the Ashes. It’s professional sport. If you can’t handle that, what can you handle?”
