England bowler's Test debut overshadowed by 'inexcusable' tweets
England fast bowler Ollie Robinson has been forced to apologise after a number of his shocking historical tweets were exposed on the same day he made his Test debut.
The 27-year-old led England's attack with 2-50 on the first day of the two-match series against New Zealand, but his performance was overshadowed by an extraordinary social media scandal.
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Robinson fronted the media after stumps on day one of the first Test at Lord's to face questions about a series of racist and sexist tweets he made as a teenager.
The tweets, dating back to 2012, left Robinson in an especially difficult position given both teams had lined up before play for a 'Moment of Unity' designed to show their opposition to discrimination within cricket.
"On the biggest day of my career so far, I am embarrassed by the racist and sexist tweets that I posted over eight years ago, which have today become public," Robinson said after stumps.
"I want to make it clear that I'm not racist and I'm not sexist."
"I deeply regret my actions, and I am ashamed of making such remarks."
Ollie Robinson has apologised "unreservedly" for a number of racist and sexist messages he posted on Twitter in 2012, with the 27-year-old adding that he was "embarrassed" by the social media posts that resurfaced on the day he made his England Test debut.
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) June 2, 2021
England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Tom Harrison added Robinson would now face a disciplinary process.
"Any person reading those words, particularly a woman or person of colour, would take away an image of cricket and cricketers that is completely unacceptable," said Harrison.
"We have a zero-tolerance stance to any form of discrimination and there are rules in place that handle conduct of this nature."
Given the disgusting nature of the historical tweets, the backlash against Robinson has been understandable.
However, the fact they were made when he was 18 and have resurfaced nine years later on the same day he made his England debut, have left the cricket world divided.
I mean, don't be racist in the first place, but it really does boggle the mind that sportsmen and other prominent people don't get someone to sift through their old tweets for dodgy content. Ollie Robinson has only got himself to blame. #ENGvNZ
— CrickBait (@Crick_bait) June 2, 2021
Yes the tweets Ollie Robinson sent in 2012 are unacceptable and yes their emergence could not have come at a worse time. But we are talking about a teenager long before he had the responsibility an England career brings. A 'full investigation' by ECB is over the top IMO.
— Paul Newman 🌈 (@Paul_NewmanDM) June 2, 2021
Just saw the tweets that Ollie Robinson sent, people rolling out excuses for him that it was 8yrs ago and he was 18... really shouldn't wash. They're absolutely awful and at 18 you should know better.
— James Mair (@jmair84) June 2, 2021
Dream debut for Ollie Robinson at Lord's - he's already taken two wickets. But some old tweets by the 27-year-old are resurfacing which will make for uncomfortable reading by the ECB, particularly given the anti-discrimination message from the players before play began.
— Laura Scott (@LauraScott__) June 2, 2021
If embarrassing tweets Ollie Robinson made in 2012 have emerged on the day he made his Test debut, you have to wonder how the ECB missed this. Surely they do basic due diligence on player at the top, just as they would with any employee #ENGvNZ
— Martin Williamson (@mogodonman) June 2, 2021
Wow the Ollie Robinson tweets are howlers! Shocking. Inexcusable.
— Brynn Goldblatt (@BrynnGoldblatt) June 2, 2021
Conflicted on the Ollie Robinson tweets. For sure, they are old, and people have to be given the chance to show growth. But he also wasn't a child when they were sent. I also have no reason to believe he wasn't being sincere in the interview he gave today. #OllieRobinson
— Michael D. Watkins 🏴 (@mdwatkins_) June 2, 2021
Debutants shine on day one
Controversy aside, Robinson's debut was also overshadowed in a sporting sense by New Zealand's Devon Conway, who justified New Zealand's show of faith with a deeply impressive century on his own Test debut.
Conway rewarded the decision to include him at Tom Blundell's expense with a series of punchy drives and stout defence in a self-assured 136 not out, becoming the sixth batsman to make a debut hundred at the Home of Cricket.
The superb knock helped the tourists reached 3-246 at stumps on day one.
James Anderson dismissed Kane Williamson for the seventh time - the most success any bowler has had against the Kiwi captain - but it was a rare moment of joy for the Lancastrian as he equalled the record for most England caps.
Robinson was spirited after being preferred to Craig Overton but there was no room for a specialist spinner in England's XI on a day where the hosts played in front of a home crowd for the first time since the summer of 2019.
They worked themselves into a position of promise after New Zealand slipped to 114 for three in mid-afternoon but Conway and Henry Nicholls (46no) put on an unbroken 132-run stand to subdue Joe Root's side.
Unlike New Zealand's last visit to St John's Wood - when they were beaten by England in a dramatic 2019 World Cup final - there were few fireworks at the start of this two-match series.
The Black Caps have, though, laid the foundations to go big in their first innings even if England are unlikely to be too downcast after their attack put in a wholehearted effort on a pitch that offered them very little.
Robinson was able to exploit a fraction of movement to bowl Latham via the inside edge then trap Ross Taylor lbw, but while New Zealand were never really able to accelerate at any point, there seemed to be no demons in the track.
with agencies
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