England suspend Robinson over racist, sexist tweets

London: Ollie Robinson will miss next week’s second Test against New Zealand at Edgbaston after being suspended from all international cricket pending an investigation into racist and sexist Twitter messages, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced Sunday.

Sussex quick Robinson made an impressive on-field England debut in the drawn series opener at Lord’s concluded Sunday.

But his efforts with bat and ball were overshadowed by the re-emergence of racist and sexist social media messages the 27-year-old had posted as a teenager in 2012 and 2013.

“England and Sussex bowler Ollie Robinson has been suspended from all international cricket pending the outcome of a disciplinary investigation following historic tweets he posted in 2012 and 2013,” said an ECB statement.

“He will not be available for selection for the LV= Insurance second Test against New Zealand starting at Edgbaston on Thursday 10 June.

“Robinson will leave the England camp immediately and return to his county,” it added.

The paceman led England’s attack with 4-75 in the first innings at Lord’s and followed up with 3-26 in the second while in between making a useful 42 with the bat.

But he found himself making an unreserved apology after stumps on Wednesday, his first day in Test cricket, for tweets that included comments suggesting Muslim people were linked to terrorism, and derogatory remarks about women and people of Asian heritage.

His messages re-emerged on a day that started with both teams lining up before play for a ‘Moment of Unity’ designed to show their opposition to discrimination within the sport, with England wearing T-shirts carrying the message ‘Cricket is a game for everyone’.

“On the biggest day of my career so far, I am embarrassed by the racist and sexist tweets that I posted over eight years ago, which have today become public,” Robinson said after Wednesday’s close.

“I want to make it clear that I’m not racist and I’m not sexist.”