CK Updates
England vs New Zealand: Ollie Robinson’s road to redemption has perfect start at Lord’s
Robinson was exiled for 24 Tests. In that time, 13 other men bowled seam in Test cricket for England. Fourteen, if you count Harry Brook’s wrong-footed part-time filth.
Robinson spent part of the Ashes winter playing club cricket in Sydney, mainly to work on his game, but also to be in the right place if England needed him. One wonders how many bowlers would have had to go down for Robinson to get the call, especially given a reserve Lions squad was also in Australia. Maybe 15, even 20?
But necessity is the mother of invention or, in this case, reinvention.
Humbled in Australia, England were badly in need of an attack-leader, a reliable tone-setter.
This summer is the first since 2007 that none of James Anderson, Stuart Broad or Chris Woakes will play a Test for England. Throw in the likelihood that Mark Wood will never play another Test and it means the four cornerstones of England’s pace attack have gone in the space of three years, taking 1,609 wickets with them.
So England reached out to Robinson, telling him at the start of the summer he was back on the radar. Already maturing with the captaincy, Robinson lasered-in on the goal of an international recall.
Those at Hove speak of an intense focus on a chance Robinson once thought had gone. Extra training sessions, leading on and off the field amid the turmoil of a points deduction for financial issues. The bowling was in good order, and there was even a vital century with the bat against Surrey.
When the England recall came, director of cricket Rob Key called Robinson “one of the best bowlers in the world”. McCullum said he had “banged the door down”, while Stokes challenged Robinson to “stay here as long as he can”.
On a murky and moody Thursday at Lord’s, Robinson rose to the challenge.
England had been rolled over for 140 by the excellent New Zealanders and all of Key, McCullum and Stokes must have been wondering if the Ashes rebuild was going to be reduced to rubble. Salvation came from the man they had shunned.
With the clouds hovering, rain threatening and pitch nibbling, Robinson was the perfect horse for this course.
Rumbling in from the Nursery End, nipping the ball down the slope to left-hander Devon Conway.
Third ball. Front pad. Finger up. Robinson’s eyes wide with delight, Conway aghast at a review that showed enough of leg stump was being clipped.
Former West Ham, QPR and Czech Republic goalkeeper Ludek Miklosko has died at the age of 64.
Miklosko made almost 400 appearances for the Hammers from 1990 to 1998 and was much loved by supporters, who regularly sang his name long after he left the club.
He later returned as a goalkeeping coach.
Miklosko withdrew from cancer treatment in December 2024, three years after his diagnosis.
Days later he returned to West Ham’s London Stadium for a Premier League match against Liverpool to a hero’s reception.
A West Ham statement read: “It is with deep and profound sadness that West Ham United announces the passing of legendary former goalkeeper and coach, Luděk Miklosko.
“Rest in peace Ludek, our beloved, inspirational goalkeeper and gentle giant of a man.”
More to follow.
Going into the 2026 season, few people would have backed Zverev to win two Grand Slam tournaments, with the German having already lost three major finals in a career which looked in danger of not living up to expectation.
But injuries to his biggest rivals – Alcaraz missing the French Open and Wimbledon, with Sinner ruled out of the US Open – opened the door for Zverev.
A below-par Zverev scraped through the opening rounds at Flushing Meadows in a series of early-morning finishes, but he gradually improved over a fortnight where he did not play a top-20 opponent until Shelton.
Zverev had not lost to Shelton in their five previous meetings and immediately capitalised on a nervy start by his opponent.
Shelton double-faulted on break point in the first game of the match, handing over the type of initiative that opponents often struggle to wrestle back from Zverev.
Through the strength of his first serve, and his ability to unpick Shelton’s weaker backhand in the baseline exchanges, Zverev rolled through the opening set and clinched it when Shelton hit another double fault on set point.
Zverev continued to patiently draw mistakes from Shelton in the second set, but without being gifted a break when his only opportunity arrived in the fourth game.
He instead showed why he has a strong tie-break record with another nerveless display and, unlike in the 2020 US Open final when he lost from a two-set lead, kept his composure in the pressure moments to secure a commanding victory.
Addressing his team which is led by his father Alexander senior and brother Mischa, Zverev said: “We went 30 years without winning a Grand Slam title and now won two in the span of three months.
“I think God has seen how hard we have worked, how hard we have suffered and how much pain we went through.
“I think 2026 is the outcome of all the years that happened before.”
With Haaland’s goal settling the match, United were unsurprisingly disappointed by the decision.
“I think it was offside,” said Martinez. “And what I can’t understand is the rules. I want to be calm now, I want to control myself.
“It’s so hard because you lose a derby, you lose three points at home, and every season they’re [referees] coming to our club, they explain for one hour the rules, and they look so confident with that, and then after [there are] five or six people doing these kind of mistakes in the Premier League – it’s unacceptable.
“It’s the best league in the world, you have the best teams in the world, the best players in the world, and now we have to go home with this injustice.”
United boss Carrick also expressed his confusion.
“We put things in place in the game now, we have people in offices with all the screens for this decision,” he said.
“It’s more worrying about if that’s the interpretation of football now. If that’s the interpretation of not interfering in the game now, that’s really worrying for me. It’s a staggering explanation.
“The decision isn’t going to change the season, but it’s had a major impact on the game.”
Wayne Rooney, part of the BBC’s MOTD2 team, said: “Surely it’s offside. Martinez is impacted by Fernandez’s movement, and he is offside.”
Gary Neville said on Sky Sports: “I think we’ll see some sort of apology from the referee’s association, there’s no doubt Fernandez is playing that ball and is trying to put off Martinez. I think it’s one they’ll recognising they got wrong.”
Micah Richards added: “I think it’s been a bad day for referees. They got the Foden decision wrong and the Fernandez decision wrong. I think they got it so wrong but I don’t think it takes anything away from City’s performance.”
Meanwhile, City boss Maresca said: “I think it was onside clearly so it’s good.”
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