Sensational with the new ball in Hobart, Ollie Robinson fell away and had little impact for the rest of the day with bowling coach Jon Lewis admitting the England seamer needs quick improvement in his fitness
England put heat on Robinson to lift fitness to keep Test place
England bowling coach Jon Lewis concedes Ollie Robinson needs to work on his fitness after the seamer suffered an apparent back spasm on the opening day of the fifth Ashes Test.
Robinson removed David Warner and Steve Smith cheaply with the new ball but was able to bowl just eight overs for the day as Australia rebounded to 6-241.
The tourists, already without the bowling services of allrounder Ben Stokes because of a side strain, were forced to turn to 10 overs of spin from captain Joe Root.
"At the moment, from what I gather, he has a back spasm," Lewis said.
"Those things can come and go. We're hoping with treatment overnight … he can be free enough to bowl."
Lewis said the decision to leave Robinson on the field was to ensure he'd be allowed to bowl again on Saturday.
Robinson, who is England's leading wicket-taker for the tour with 11 despite being rested from the fourth Test at the SCG, was in his element on a green-top Bellerive Oval deck.
However, Lewis said the 28-year-old needed to improve his fitness, describing it as "definitely a work-on".
"It's something he needs to improve. He's got a record of playing a lot of games of county cricket," Lewis said.
"Playing international cricket is a higher intensity and you play all year around. He's got to get used to understanding what it takes to be a full-time, year-round international cricketer.
"If he's going to perform consistently at this level, [Ollie Robinson] will need to be a fitter bowler" Bowling coach Jon Lewis on Ollie Robinson's fitness after he bowled just one over after dinner.#Ashes pic.twitter.com/c2KLpKZgVV— Cricket on BT Sport (@btsportcricket) January 14, 2022
"In the times we're in, everything is really squashed together. There's not a great deal of rest and recuperation between games.
"That's something he is going to have to deal with. It is one of his things he really needs to work on."
Stuart Broad (2-48) shouldered 18 overs of the 59.3 bowled on a day that was cut short due to persistent drizzle.
Vodafone Men's Ashes
Squads
Australia: Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith (vc), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner
England: Joe Root (c), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Dom Bess, Sam Billings, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Zak Crawley, Haseeb Hameed, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
Schedule
First Test: Australia won by nine wickets
Second Test: Australia won by 275 runs
Third Test: Australia won by an innings and 14 runs
Fourth Test: Match drawn
Fifth Test: January 14-18, Blundstone Arena