The opening session of the fourth day of the second Ashes Test at Adelaide took an unusual turn as Ollie Robinson ditched his seamers to bowl off-breaks.

England began the day without their skipper Joe Root on the field after he injured his abdomen during the warm-ups and that left them an off-spinner down.

That led to the unusual sight of Robinson shortening his run-up for his ninth over of the innings – and not long after he’d managed to dismiss Steve Smith for six.

A three-over spell of flighted off-breaks followed from the right-armer, who has previously turned to spin on occasion in first-class cricket for Sussex. Speaking to the Telegraph in June 2020, Robinson said: “I think my off-spin average in first-class cricket is actually better than my seam average.”

He conceded 11 runs from his short off-spin spell and certainly caught the eye of those tuning in to the match.

The seam position >>>>

Eat your heart out Nathan Lyon 🤣#Ashes pic.twitter.com/VJXFtcJ20l

— Cricket on BT Sport (@btsportcricket) December 19, 2021

Robinson’s former Sussex teammate Stuart Meaker noted the prowess of the paceman’s second string.

I can confirm these off spinners from Ollie Robinson are lethal…Turn and Bounce….lots of Bounce in fact#Ashes #AshesTest

— Stuart Meaker (@SMeaker18) December 19, 2021

One name that immediately came to mind was Colin Miller, who bowled both off-spin and seam for Australia at the turn of the century.

COLIN MILLER VIBES

pic.twitter.com/LGjFazADCC

— Rob Moody (@robelinda2) December 19, 2021

It simply proved to be a somewhat surreal sight.

 

Ollie Robinson bowling spin. This tour is truly wild.

— Rory Dollard (@thervd) December 19, 2021

If the ICC feed goes down again and Ollie Robinson continues to bowl offies with sunnies on we are literally watching 4th grade

— Ian Higgins (@1an_Higgins) December 19, 2021

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