Few comebacks could have started in a more dramatic fashion. Returning to England’s test team after more than two years, Ollie Robinson wasted no time making an impact, producing a spell that earned him a place in the record books on the opening day of the first test against New Zealand at Lord’s.
Ollie Robinson, who last played a test for England against India in Ranchi from February 23 to 26, 2024, was handed the new ball and struck immediately. Bowling the second over of New Zealand’s first innings, the fast bowler picked up three wickets in the six deliveries he bowled.
His first breakthrough came when he trapped opener Devon Conway lbw on the third ball of the over. Two deliveries later, he dismissed former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson for a two-ball duck, with debutant Emilio Gay taking the catch. Ollie Robinson then completed a remarkable over by trapping Rachin Ravindra lbw on the sixth and final ball.
The extraordinary spell saw Ollie Robinson become the first English bowler in the 149-year history of test cricket to take three wickets in his first over of an innings. While six bowlers had previously achieved the feat in Test cricket, no England player had ever featured on that list. Ollie Robinson later added a fourth wicket to cap off a memorable day but it was his opening over that attracted the most attention.
The first bowler in Test history to claim three wickets in his opening over of an innings was former Sri Lankan pacer Nuwan Zoysa. He achieved the milestone during a Test against Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club in 1999, taking his first three wickets in just three deliveries.
The feat was famously matched by former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan in 2006 during the third Test between India and Pakistan in Karachi. Irfan Pathan removed Salman Butt, Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf in consecutive deliveries to complete a memorable hat-trick.
The other bowlers to have dismissed three batters in their first over of a Test innings are Daniel Vettori, Haris Sohail, Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland. Ollie Robinson has now joined that elite group while also becoming the first English bowler to achieve the landmark.
Congratulations Ollie Robinson!
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