England without Ollie Robinson for first Test as ‘red-ball reset’ begins

Ollie Robinson spent England’s penultimate training session in Antigua for the first Test walking round the boundary’s edge trying to loosen up his lower back muscles and thus the team’s so-called “red-ball reset” must now start without him.

No Jimmy Anderson and no Stuart Broad for the three-match series against West Indies that starts on Tuesday – the first to see the renamed Richards-Botham Trophy contested – has placed an onus on their previous support cast, with Robinson’s burgeoning Test credentials among those deemed worthy of such investment. He has 39 wickets from nine Tests at 21 runs apiece.

However, the back spasms that wrecked the 28-year-old’s final appearance in Hobart during the 4-0 Ashes defeat returned last week when England played their solitary warm-up fixture, a frustration given previous concerns about his physical conditioning, meaning new-ball duties are set to be shared by Chris Woakes and Craig Overton.

Woakes, speaking after England had a net at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Sunday, said: “Ollie is a talented bowler and he’s shown in his short Test career so far that he’s certainly got the skills and the ability to do good things in the format. He’s had a great start to his Test career so, naturally, he’ll be a big miss if he doesn’t make it on Tuesday. At the same time, it gives people opportunities.”

Overton is among them and at least ensures a similar partnership to plan A can be forged, with the Somerset man offering height and bounce like Robinson while Woakes looks to get movement sideways. Cross-winds at the ground should assist the latter, even if the Dukes ball used in the Caribbean does not buff up like those in England.

Woakes admitted to some good fortune at his own retention