“You have to back it up”

Australian great Glenn McGrath believes players should back up their words with performance if they turn to skating. The 53-year-old was signaling English seamstress Ollie Robinson’s sled off the Australian batsman in the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston.

Robinson grabbed the spotlight with his fiery deposit after flattening the stumps of Usman Khawaja in the first innings. He also had a small skating loop in the second innings before James Anderson got involved. The likes of Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden were quick to pounce on the Sussex tailor for his expletive-filled send-off.

McGrath wrote in his BBC Sport column:

“You have to back it up. If you don’t, you can look silly. It’s easier as a bowler, because you have plenty of chances to take a wicket proving you right. If you’re a batsman, you take one ball to prove you wrong.”

While the 53-year-old feels the Lord’s Test is a ‘do-or-die’ game in England, he thinks it was interesting to see Zak Crawley and Robinson being vocal in the media before the match.

“England arrive at Lord’s with more pressure on their shoulders,” he said. “If they lose, I can’t see a way to get back into the series. From that point of view, it’s interesting to see that Ollie Robinson and Zack Crowley have been outspoken in the media. I don’t have a problem with that, especially because I’ve always been prepared with an expectation or goal to hit an opponent. during play days.”

Crawley, who scored 61 in the first innings at Edgbaston, predicted that England would beat Australia at Lord’s by 150 runs.

“I’m not sure Australia would want to let Starc out for two matches in a row” – Glenn McGrath

Speaking of conditions at Lord’s, McGrath thought the venue would suit Scott Boland more but suggested Mitchell Stark should be in contention.

“Mitchell Stark will be straining at the leash to play this week, especially after sitting out in Birmingham and playing only once in the last round in 2019,” he said. “Lord’s conditions could be more suited to Boland’s style, but I’m not sure Australia would want to let Stark out for two consecutive matches.”

Boland was uncharacteristically expensive at Edgbaston. Starc was unable to find a place in the first Ashes Test after leaking runs in the World Test Championship final against India.