New Zealand vs England: Ollie Robinson gives the thumbs down to pink-ball cricket | Cricket News

England are aiming to end their losing streak in the day/night Test against New Zealand this week, but seamer Ollie Robinson has given the thumbs down to “gimmicky” pink-ball cricket.

Tourists flocked to the coastal town of Mount Maunganui on Sunday, greeted by strong winds and rain brought by Cyclone Gabrielle and against a backdrop of safety warnings from the national weather agency.

How bad the area will be will be determined over the next 24 hours but, as the England management monitor the forecast, the players are preparing for the series opener at the Bay Oval scheduled for Thursday. .

Practice sessions over the next three days could be canceled if facilities are compromised by the cyclone, meaning less time for bowlers on both sides to catch the pink Kookaburra ball.

England beat the West Indies at Edgbaston in the first ever day/nighter in 2015 but have routed in the next five, all overseas, including a round loss to the Black Caps in Auckland five years ago.

A bit of luck at the toss and getting the opposition to bat during the crucial ‘twilight’ period will be crucial to reversing that record, but Robinson is not dwelling on the fact that he prefers to play standard five-day matches.

“Traditional Test cricket, there is nothing wrong with the start. I don’t think we should play this pink ball game,” he said.

“It’s a bit gimmicky. They try to get the crowd and change the game a little bit but the way England play Test cricket at the moment, I don’t think that needs to happen. We can stick to how we are ‘ again and we entertain people like now, so I don’t I’m sure it’s necessary.”

The bright pink ball has recently been mentioned for more widespread use, especially as a potential solution to bad light stop play, but as a person who uses it as a tool of trade that Robinson is underwhelmed by the current product.

“I’m not a massive fan of the ball, no. We’ve tried to get them to swing this last week and they were very inconsistent. They’re not just traditional cricket balls,” he said.

“We’ve tried a lot in the last week or so to get the pink ball moving and it’s proving to be quite a challenge. It’s not as consistent as the red ball, the Dukes or the Kookaburra, which swing for a while and let you shine. Those guys.

“It has a layer of lacquer on it and it’s really hard to shine and keep swinging. It’s so hard to adjust yourself and adjust the game because you don’t know how you’re going to react in the game.

Robinson’s first day/night Test, in Adelaide during last season’s Ashes, took one for the unexpected when he was surprisingly invited to bowl an off-turn spell after a selection blunder saw Jack Leach left out.

Watching a man 6ft 5in speed twirling away in sunglasses is a symbol of English muddled thinking during the series, and there is no chance to repeat it in the days ahead.

“I hope not,” Robinson said with a smile. “For everyone.”

Why he opened bowling in less certain.

Ben Stokes’ decision to let him share the new ball with James Anderson when he returned to the team last summer, pointing to the vastly experienced Stuart Broad to replace the first-rounder, has produced impressive results, but New Zealand rely on two left-handed openers in Tom. Latham and Devon Conway could be another change.

“They’ve got two lefties up top and Broady’s really good against lefties, so whatever role we’re in at any given time, we’re going to be up for the challenge,” Robinson said.

“It’s not set in stone by any means. We’ll play when it comes and we’re all ready.”

Robinson is one of several team members who have delayed the arrival of their loved ones due to weather conditions but if the pre-match net session is also affected, he is not worried about the cold.

“We will continue to monitor it, but hopefully it will not be affected too much,” he said.

“We know it can be difficult to go out, but if we don’t practice before Thursday, I think we’re ready and we’re ready.”