Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has hit back at England bowler Ollie Robinson for his foul-mouthed send-off of Usman Khawaja, after being dragged into the fiercely debated talking point of the first Ashes Test.
Robinson was at the centre of an Australian media storm when he was picked up on live footage celebrating the first innings dismissal of Khawaja bay showering him in ‘spray’.
In his press conference after the third day’s play, the England seam bowler refused to apologise for yelling at the Australian opener “f--- off, you f------ p----” in celebration of the wicket.
Khawaja, who top scored for the tourists with 141 before being bowled by Robinson, refused to engage with Robinson, and Ponting leapt to his defence when assessing the bowler’s behaviour.
“A lot of this stuff happens in the heat of battle,” Ponting told Sky Sports. “The only thing I‘d say with Ollie [on Sunday] is Khawaja was on 140, Robinson hadn’t looked like getting a wicket all day, and he’s just sledged probably the nicest man that’s ever walked on the planet.”
Robinson had dragged Ponting into the debate by referencing his famous 2005 blow-up during the Ashes when explaining that English players had been dealing with Australian ‘spray’ for decades.
“I was sitting back having some pizza and watching the US Open golf, and my phone lit up with what he had to say in his press conference,” Ponting continued.
“I was a little bit surprised just because it’s so long ago. If he had used one of the current players as an example, then fine, but I haven’t played for 11 years and probably haven’t sledged an Englishman for about 15.
“He must have a long memory.”
Ponting also compared the actions of Robinson to his team-mate Joe Root, who ran towards the batsman as he walked off the field to shake his hand in recognition of his fantastic innings.
“That’s the contrast of maybe a bowler who is toiling away and is a little bit frustrated, and a fielder that sat back and watched a really good Test-match innings,” Ponting added. (The Telegraph)