Ollie Robinson left the field mid-way through his 12th over on the opening day of the third Test of the 2023 Ashes at Leeds.

The England seamer, an ever-present in the series so far, bowled decently on the opening day and was unfortunate not to claim the wicket of Steve Smith after an inside edge was dropped by Jonny Bairstow behind the stumps.

Robinson walked off the ground two deliveries into his 12th over with Mitch Marsh and Travis Head still at the crease for Australia with the score on 179-4. The over was eventually completed by Stuart Broad.

That was the last Robinson was seen on the field as England wrapped up the Australia innings shortly after tea with the rapid Mark Wood instigating a lower order collapse that pulled England back into the contest after Mitchell Marsh’s 118-ball 118 threatened to take the Test away from the hosts.

During the evening session, the ECB confirmed that Robinson suffered a back spasm. It’s not the first time in Robinson’s England career that he has struggled with back spasms. He was ruled out of the first Test of England’s tour of the West Indies in 2022 with a back spasm and ended that tour not playing a single game. He also suffered with a back spasm during the 2021/22 Ashes, a tour that saw Robinson undergo scrutiny over his fitness after comments made by then England bowling coach Jon Lewis. During the Hobart Test, after Robinson’s speeds dipped to 70 miles per hour, Lewis said: “It [Robinson’s fitness] something he’s definitely looking at, and definitely we’re working on with him. If he’s going to perform consistently over a long period of time at this level, he will need to be a fitter bowler, 100 per cent.

“We’ve had those conversations, we’ve been pretty frank with him. And now it’s up to him to go and do the work.”

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