Cricket

England bowled over by injury to in-form paceman

By AAP Newswire

Jun 15, 2026

England pace bowler Ollie Robinson has been ruled out of the second Test with a knee injury. -AP

England have lost another fast bowler for this week's second cricket Test against New Zealand at The Oval, with Ollie Robinson ruled out with a knee injury.

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Robinson took 7-77 overall in the series opener, which England won by 115 runs, and his absence comes after England captain Ben Stokes and teammate Gus Atkinson were dropped last week from the squad while they are under investigation following an incident in a nightclub.

Pacer Atkinson cleaned up New Zealand's second innings in the first Test with figures of 5-30 to clinch a hard-earned victory.

Robinson will stay with the squad and undergo rehab work on his knee ahead of the third and final Test, starting on June 25 at Trent Bridge. Uncapped Henry Crocombe has been called up as cover.

The England and Wales Cricket Board is looking into what it described as "a breach of team protocols" when Stokes and Atkinson were on a night out - following the first-Test win at Lord's - during which a member of England's security staff was reportedly struck by a rugby player from English club Saracens.

The saga has heaped more scrutiny on the professionalism and culture around England's test team following a humiliating Ashes tour, after which a midnight curfew was reportedly imposed on players and staff.

With the 35-year-old Stokes unavailable, England's previous captain Joe Root will lead the team.