25 March 2023 , 12:15
740
0
Ollie Robinson fired the first shots ahead of this summer's Ashes when he backed England to "get one over" on Australia and "give them a good hiding".
In an interview with BBC Radio Sussex earlier this month, Robinson said: "When we went to Australia we weren't quite at our best. I really feel we could get one over them and give them a good hiding."
However, Robinson has been warned that his comments could "supercharge" Australia by former England bowler Derek Pringle. "The Aussies are one of the best teams at making opponents pay for any missteps they might make, be it through error or over ambition," Pringle wrote in a column for the Metro.
"England will be confident, as they should after winning ten of their last 12 Tests, though you would perhaps question the wisdom of fast bowler Ollie Robinson's recent hubristic outburst, when he said that England 'could give Australia a good hiding'.
"Australian cricket teams never want for motivation against the old enemy but you probably don't want to supercharge it with loose words."
Ballance set to make Test return for Zimbabwe after Yorkshire racism scandal
Pringle went on to recall an instance where Michael Atherton's comments about Steve Waugh ahead of the 1994-95 Ashes backfired, as well as the late Shane Warne stating the way England celebrated their 2005 Ashes win "spurred him on" to get revenge the following year when Australia won 5-0.
Ex-England bowler Derek Pringle says Robinson's comments could "supercharge" Australia (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)"Just before the 1994/95 Ashes tour Mike Atherton, then England captain, suggested Steve Waugh wet himself when facing fast bowling," he added. "It rather backfired when Australia won 3-1 and Waugh averaged a tick under 50.
"I can also recall the late Shane Warne telling me nothing spurred him on more than England's triumphalism following their 2005 Ashes victory, when MBEs were handed out like cheap suits and there was an open-top bus parade round London.
"But maybe Robinson's bravado, a very un-English thing, is born of Bazball – which means the players truly believe in it and belief, in self, cause and method, is the great facilitator when it comes to sport."