England pace bowler Ollie Robinson picked up the big wicket of Usman Khawaja, dismissing the Australian opener Usman Khawaja for 141 on Day 3 of the 1st Ashes Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Friday. Robinson gave Khawaja a massive send-off and was caught on camera abusing the Australian southpaw.

However, the English fast bowlers didn’t seem apologetic for his abusive tirade at Khawaja. He does not care about how his aggressive send-off to Australian batter and centurion Khawaja is perceived by the Australian dressing room, since it is part of the ‘passion of the Ashes’ and he is here to provide the ‘theatre of the game’ to everyone who wants it.

Ollie Robinson telling Usman Khwaja to ‘fuck off’ and calling him a ‘fucking prick’ _ why?!

Class acts this England _______ team. #Ashes23 #Ashes #ENGvAUS pic.twitter.com/olJORxzDLf
— Indi Boonan (@indiboonan) June 18, 2023

Robinson however lauded Usman for his knock and said that getting his wicket during his first home Ashes was special for him. “It is my first home Ashes and to get the big wicket at the time was special for me. I think Uzzie played unbelievably well. To get that wicket for us as a team at the time was massive. We all want that theatre of the game, don’t we? So I am here to provide it,” said Robinson as quoted by ESPNCricinfo website.

He added that Australian players have historically shown the same aggression to the England players. “But I think when you are in the heat of the moment and you have the passion of the Ashes, that can happen. We have all seen Ricky Ponting, other Aussies do the same to us. Just because the shoe is on the other foot, it is not received well,” said Robinson.

“I do not really care how it’s perceived, to be honest. It is the Ashes. It is professional sport. If you can not handle that, what can you handle?” he said.

Robinson also said that getting their opponents’ lower order throughout the series is important, calling them ‘three number 11s’. Though the number eight and skipper Pat Cummins scored a useful 38, Australia’s last four wickets fell for 14 runs following Khawaja’s dismissal.

“It is something we spoke about as a group. We said once we get past Cummins, we feel like they have got three No. 11s. It is something that we can target through the series and try and wrap up their innings quite quick and try and give us that momentum into our batting innings,” said Robinson.

Ollie Robinson (3/55) and Stuart Broad (3/68) were the pick of the bowlers for England. Moeen Ali picked two scalps while skipper Ben Stokes and James Anderson got one.

England declared their first innings at 393/8 after electing to bat first. A century from Root (118 not out in 152 balls, with seven fours and four sixes), fifties from Jonny Bairstow (78 in 78 balls, with 12 fours) and Zak Crawley (61 in 73 balls, with seven fours) powered England to a huge score.

Nathan Lyon (4/149) was the pick of the bowlers for the Aussies. Josh Hazlewood picked up two wickets while Scott Boland and Cameron Green got a wicket each.

(with ANI inputs)