Ollie Robinson

Ollie Robinson - not to be confused with another Kent academy product of the same name who went on to play for Yorkshire, Sussex and England - has built a burgeoning reputation as one of the best young wicketkeeper-batters in the country with Kent and, latterly, Durham.

Robinson made his senior debut for Kent aged 18, in the final match of the Regional Super50 in the West Indies, and earned his first professional contract in September 2017 after deputising with the gloves on several occasions. A first-class bow came the following summer and it was not long before he was the club's No. 1 gloveman in red-ball cricket.

In 2019, he scored 765 runs in 14 Championship matches, including two hundreds. His maiden first-class century, a five-hour 143 at Edgbaston, helped set up an eight-wicket Kent win. He added two more tons in the 2021 season but became increasingly frustrated at his lack of limited-overs opportunities behind Sam Billings and Jordan Cox. A scintillating, unbeaten 206 from 131 balls in the One-Day Cup hinted at his ability, as Kent went on to win the trophy in 2022, but he had to go out on loan to Durham to gain T20 experience.

That move, and his experience of playing at Chester-le-Street, led Robinson to depart from Kent despite still having a year left on his contract and head north permanently at the end of the season. His decision was immediately validated as he began life at Durham by averaging 58.18 with three hundreds - including a career-best 167 not out at Leicestershire - in their Division Two title-winning campaign, as well as producing his best-ever return in the Blast.

Robinson was born in Sidcup and attended Hurstmere School before studying for A Levels at Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School. He played age-group cricket for Kent, scoring 251 for the Under-17 side during 2016, and was awarded a place in the academy. In 2017, he was named in the England Under-19 squad for a series of matches against India and again against South Africa the following summer. Further representatives honours came in 2019-20 when he was included on the England Lions tour of Australia.
ESPNcricinfo staff