"We don’t want to let that record go" - Ollie Robinson hopes England can deny Australia landmark series win
England seamer Ollie Robinson has vowed that they will throw everything they can to win the fifth and final Ashes Test at the Oval, starting on Thursday (July 27th). The right-arm seamer remains determined to keep Australia winless on English soil since 2001.
Australia lead the five-Test rubber by 2-1 and will look to secure their first-ever series victory since 2001. Pat Cummins and Co. have already retained the urn, but have missed out on a series win on the last five occasions.
In his column for The Wisden, Robinson asserted that they want to end the summer by dominating Australia, as it happened in the 4th Test in Manchester.
"The Oval’s massive. We’ve got to throw everything at winning this game," said Robinson. "If we can end the summer dominating the Aussies at The Oval and putting on a show, putting bums on seats, that’s where we want to be, and that’s what we’re going to try to do. Australia haven’t won a series in England since 2001, and we don’t want to let that record go this week."
Robinson, whose back spasm has prevented him from playing since the third Test, stated that the series deserved a decider.
"For the series and for cricket it was a shame that Manchester got ruined," Robinson added. "If it had been 2-2 it would have been the perfect series, whoever comes out on top at the Kia Oval. The frustrating thing about Manchester was that for three days it really came off, and we played exactly how we’ve talked about wanting to."
England were on the verge of making it 2-2 at Old Trafford, but persistent rain on day 5 prevented them. The hosts slammed 592 after bowling Australia out for 317 early on day 2.
"The lads were flat that evening" - Ollie Robinson
The 29-year-old recalled how Ben Stokes motivated them even after England were upset about missing out on a win at Old Trafford.
"The lads were flat that evening," said Robinson. "We felt that we’d had a pretty good series and made most of the Test matches the games that they were. But Stokesy made a very good speech afterwards, saying that this Ashes series won’t define us as players, that we’re about the imprint that we’re trying to leave on cricket."
Highlighting England's desire to make Test cricket attracting for the youngsters, he added:
"We want youngsters growing up wanting to play the game the way that we play it, and that’s not going to stop just because we don’t have the urn. This is what we’re trying to create. This little moment in our career isn’t going to define us."
The Sussex seamer claimed 10 scalps in three Ashes 2023 Tests at 28.40.