MANCHESTER: Ollie Robin­son, who last played for England in the final Ashes Test in January, has been recalled for the second Test with South Africa as the hosts bid to level the three-match series.

Sussex paceman Robinson replaces Matthew Potts for the match at Old Trafford which starts on Thursday.

“Everything that we’ve seen in training and how he’s (Robinson) been around the group is exactly what we want,” said England captain Ben Stokes. “We all know the quality of bowler he is, because when he’s played for England his skill set is incredible.”

Stokes added that Potts had taken the news remarkably well after playing in the previous five Tests.

“For a 23-year-old to understand the bigger picture and not be throwing his toys out the pram was something that I think shouldn’t be overlooked,” said Stokes.

England will need a considerably improved performance following the innings and 12 runs thrashing inside three days at Lord’s in the first Test.

Robinson has 39 wickets in nine Tests at an average of21.28.

Following a poor Ashes series, where his approach to fitness were questioned in public by the England coaching staff, Robinson missed the subsequent tour of the West Indies with back spasms.

He was due to play for a County Select XI against New Zealand in May, only to miss out with a stiff back, before a bout of Covid-19 caused him to spend more time on the sidelines.

Stokes said he had spoken frankly to Robinson about his attitude to fitness.

“I feel that’s something people deserve,” said Stokes. “Rather than just have a conversation to get through it easy, I’d rather let him know exactly where I stand.

“It enables him to go away and work on what has been asked of him. All I can say is he’s done that to the absolute extreme.

“All the feedback Robbo has got from myself, the coach, the people who have helped him get where he is now, has been nothing but positive.”

Stokes has also retained faith with opener Zak Crawley despite another poor outing at Lord’s — scoring nine and 13.

In 35 innings as a Test opener, Crawley averages 22.25.

England’s defeat last weekend against the top-ranked Test side ended a run of four successive victories under red ball head coach Brendon McCullum and Stokes.

South African captain Dean Elgar believed his team’s fearsome pace attack will only get better as he admitted he was unsure of what the wicket holds for the second Test.

South Africa needed only 82.4 overs to take England’s 20 wickets in the first Test, with the majority of the damage done by the pace quartet of Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen.

“I reckon they can get much better, theyre still pretty fresh,” Elgar told reporters on Wednesday.

“The wicket assisted them at Lords, we must take that into account, but you have to put the ball in the right areas and they did that.

“Our bowlers are leading our pack at the moment and they’re extremely hungry for success. The competition among them is brilliant and the way they go about things is the most professional behaviour Ive seen from fast bowlers.”

Elgar suggested the tourists would likely retain the same XI for the second Test, with only spinner Simon Harmer a potential addition to the side, though there is not an obvious candidate for him to replace with Keshav Maharaj having also bowled well at Lord’s.

“We have our 12, the same as the first Test and we decide on the day,” Elgar said.

He also admitted they expect a much-improved home team in the second Test with the series on the line.

England XI: Zak Crawley, Alex Lees, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Ben Foakes, Stuart Broad, Jack Leach, Ollie Robinson and James Anderson.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2022