England seamer Ollie Robinson is enjoying being in the same dressing room as Steve Smith and doubts the former Australia captain’s presence at Sussex will have a material impact on the Ashes.
Smith linking up with Sussex for three Division Two matches in the LV= Insurance County Championship gives him a chance to get to grips with English conditions ahead of Australia’s bid to retain the urn this summer.
The union between player and county has divided opinion but Smith did not play any championship matches before the 2019 Ashes and still amassed 774 runs at a titanic 110.54 average in a drawn 2-2 series.
Earlier this week, he confessed he was welcomed to the Sussex nets by having his stumps rearranged by Robinson, who sees the advantages in playing alongside Smith and Sussex and India’s Cheteshwar Pujara.
“It’s a good battle,” said Robinson. “It’s nice to bowl at him and Pujara, I think it ups my game when I am training as well, it’s great to have them batting at the other end.
“(Smith) is obviously a very good player and I think he will score runs regardless of whether he faces me or not.
“We get a look at each other, but I don’t think it makes a big difference in the grand scheme of things.
“To have the world’s best batsman and Pujara in the same changing room has been cool. It hasn’t felt weird, I know (Smith) from previous series and it’s nice to have him around.”
Smith was restricted to a watching brief on the opening day of his championship debut at New Road, where Robinson hogged the limelight with seven for 59 as Worcestershire were all out for 264.
Robinson was a constant menace, bowling with vigour and at good pace, and only when he was taken out of the firing line did Worcestershire’s batters find any kind of rhythm at the crease.
This was only Robinson’s second outing of the season after experiencing some soreness in his back shortly after his return from New Zealand at the end of England’s winter touring programme in February.
The issue was not a major concern for Robinson but with the eagerly-anticipated five-Test series against Australia starting next month, he elected to have a pain-killing injection in the area.
“It’s similar to the one I had last year,” said Robinson, who struggled with a back problem during the 2021-22 Ashes. “I didn’t have a spasm, just the joint was getting slightly irritated.
“Last summer I let it go on and on, it took until June to be playing again. This year I thought I’d get it done as soon as possible and nip it in the bud.
“I don’t know many bowlers that don’t get jabs every year. It’s one of those things. I wanted to get on top of it before the Ashes, it feels really good now.”
Robinson’s contribution put Sussex in the driving seat – they closed on 63 for one before bad light brought an early end to the day – and, at this stage, he plans to play in the south coast club’s matches against Leicestershire and Glamorgan before linking up with England.
“I’m trying to peak for the Ashes, trying to get as many overs as possible between now and then,” added Robinson. “Three Sussex games and then the Ireland Test.
“I’m about 80 per cent, I’d say, there was a little bit of rustiness there, didn’t quite get my lengths right early on. But the wicket is quite helpful so when I did get it in the right area, they nicked it.”
Yorkshire ‘surprised and disappointed’ at missing out in women’s cricket revamp
Yorkshire have been left “surprised and disappointed” after being overlooked by the England and Wales Cricket Board in the initial ‘tier one’ revamp of the women’s game.
The governing body has awarded new professional teams to eight first-class counties, replacing the regional structure from next summer, but Yorkshire were edged out in what was effectively a head-to-head with Durham.
Both Yorkshire and Glamorgan have been invited to join an expanded top flight in 2027, with funding to help prepare their coaching pathways, but the news has been met with an unhappy response from Headingley on the eve of the new women’s domestic campaign.
The Northern Diamonds won the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Trophy in 2022 and finished as runners-up in the previous two seasons.
A statement from the club’s board read: “Yorkshire County Cricket Club are surprised and disappointed not to be awarded one of the initial Tier 1 women’s teams as part of the first allocations from the ECB.
“The news is especially frustrating and upsetting for the players and staff at the Northern Diamonds. They have been trying to deal with it whilst preparing for their first game of the season in two days. Our focus is on supporting them through this difficult period and gaining as much clarity on what the future looks like.
“Yorkshire has the largest active playing base of women and girls in the country, has produced many players that have gone on to represent England in the women’s game, winning the County Championship 16 times and Headingley has been successfully hosting the Northern Diamonds since 2020, so naturally the news has been tough to take.”
The White Rose has endured a turbulent time in recent years, embattled by the Azeem Rafiq racism crisis and fighting major financial troubles leading to the controversial return of Colin Graves as chair.
But there has been a renewed commitment to equality of opportunity at the club against that troubled backdrop, work which the board were keen to highlight.
“Yorkshire has a rich ethnicity mix and as part of our ongoing work to be the most welcoming and inclusive cricket club in the country, we use women’s and girl’s cricket as the cornerstone to creating real, tangible value in those communities that need it the most,” it said.
“We believe we hit all of the criteria set out as part of the tender, so we will be taking time to investigate and understand the detail behind the decision, assessing the best next steps for the club and most importantly ensuring we support the players and staff that are impacted.”
Dan Lawrence and Cameron Steel ignite Surrey push for victory against Somerset
Dan Lawrence and Cameron Steel ignited Surrey’s push for a first Vitality County Championship win of the season as Somerset were left in a spin at the Kia Oval.
With Surrey already in the ascendancy after posting 428 for a first-innings lead of 143, Lawrence was surprisingly entrusted with the new ball alongside Jordan Clark and snared both Somerset openers.
Lawrence had his third wicket with his ever-improving off-spin after drawing the edge of James Rew as Somerset ended day three on 204 for six, just 61 runs ahead in this Division One clash.
Steel dismissed Tom Lammonby for 51 and Tom Banton for 11 with his leg-breaks while Gus Atkinson bounced out Lewis Goldsworthy, who made a polished 58 before getting a tickle on an ill-judged pull.
Somerset captain Lewis Gregory (23 not out) and Kasey Aldridge (20no), who earlier finished with five for 64, helped to steady the visitors but Surrey will be pressing for a win on the final day.
England opener Ben Duckett registered his first half-century of the campaign but his dismissal sparked a top-order collapse from Nottinghamshire against Worcestershire at Trent Bridge.
After the Pears were all out for 355 for a 44-run deficit, Duckett made a typically breezy 63 but was the first of three batters to fall in a single over off overseas signing Nathan Smith (four for 29).
The New Zealand seamer also dismissed first-innings centurion Joe Clarke and Matthew Montgomery as the hosts stumbled from 125 for one to 125 for four before limping to 151 for seven and a lead of just 195.
Alex Lees’ century was backed up by weighty contributions from Ollie Robinson, Graham Clark and Ben Raine but Durham still had to follow-on against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.
Lees went past 10,000 first-class runs in his 145 and Robinson’s 60, Clark’s 76 and Raine’s 93 pushed Durham to 517 but they needed 549 after Warwickshire had compiled a colossal 698 for three declared.
After asking Durham bat again, the visitors lost Lees and captain Scott Borthwick in quick order and went to stumps on 12 for two, still 169 runs short of making Warwickshire bat for a second time.
Jordan Cox thumped six sixes in his unbeaten hundred to fire Essex to 257 for four and a lead of 374 against his former club Kent at Chelmsford.
Matt Critchley took five for 105 as Kent slipped from 251 for one following centuries from Ben Compton (165) and Daniel Bell-Drummond (135) to 413 all out and give Essex a 117-run lead at halfway.
Cox’s dashing 116 not out off just 89 balls leaves Essex in a position to declare overnight as they push for a second win of the season.
Keaton Jennings made 172 while George Bell was run out for 99 and denied a maiden first-class ton as Lancashire posted 484 in response to Hampshire’s 367 at the Utilita Bowl.
Will Williams had both Hampshire openers caught behind second time around as the hosts closed on 39 for two.
In Division Two, England batters Joe Root (51) and Harry Brook (68) made fluent fifties for Yorkshire, who need six wickets to defeat Gloucestershire at Bristol.
The efforts of Root and Brook allied to 113 from Adam Lyth lifted Yorkshire to 434 for six declared, leaving a victory target of 498 but Gloucestershire slumped to 97 for four.
John Simpson’s 205 not out and Danny Lamb’s 134 underpinned Sussex’s 694 for nine declared against Leicestershire, who closed on 86 for one and need 270 to make their opponents bat again at Grace Road.
Derbyshire closed on 40 for one after being set 401 to win by Glamorgan, who had Chris Cooke’s unbeaten 126 to thank for ushering them to 361 for seven declared at Cardiff.
Nathan Fernandes became Middlesex’s youngest debut centurion in first-class cricket since 1862 as the 19-year-old made 103, while Max Holden’s 211 not out and Leus du Plooy’s unbeaten 196 saw Middlesex reach 553 for two replying to Northamptonshire’s 552 for six declared in a run-fest at Wantage Road.
Seales takes six in the match but Sussex thwarted by bad light as Northants cling on for draw
Bad light and determined resistance by Lewis McManus frustrated Sussex's bid to pull off an unlikely victory over Northamptonshire on Monday's fourth and final day at Hove.
McManus batted for an hour as four partners came and went and Northants crawled to 170-9 before the umpires called an end to proceedings with Northants ahead by 63.
The loss of more than 100 overs eventually proved decisive but Sussex will have drawn a lot of encouragement after making most of the running, especially on the last two days. They took 15 points and Northants 13.
Having established a first-innings lead of 107, they reduced Northants to 57 for 4. Skipper Luke Procter (41) settled the nerves before left-arm spinner James Coles revived Sussex hopes with three of the four wickets that fell in 7.1 overs after tea that left them 152 for 8.
McManus and Ben Sanderson resisted for eight overs until the light improved sufficiently to enable Sussex skipper John Simpson to bring back his quicks Jayden Seales and Ollie Robinson for two overs each.
Robinson responded with an unplayable yorker to uproot Sanderson's middle stump, a fitting way to celebrate his 400th first-class wicket. Spinners Coles and Jack Carson returned but the light didn't improve and the players shook hands shortly after 6pm.
Sussex had declared their first innings on 478 for 9 after adding 127 in 20 overs to collect maximum batting points. Fynn Hudson-Prentice and Danny Lamb extended their seventh wicket stand to 99 from just 14.1 overs with Lamb contributing 41 before Chris Tremain held an excellent low catch at midwicket off Sanderson.
Hudson-Prentice, who made nine Championship fifties last season, demonstrated his effectiveness again with 73 from 60 balls and it took a clever piece of bowling by Tremain to remove him when he held one back and Hudson-Prentice drove to long-on.
Even the normally frugal Sanderson suffered when Carson hit him for three sixes in a lively 61 from 53 balls. Aiming to clear midwicket again he was bowled to give left-arm spinner Zaib his fourth wicket.
Robinson and Seales plundered 30 runs from ten balls before the declaration left Northants with four overs before lunch which they couldn't negotiate unscathed as Seales produced a lovely away-swinger which Justin Broad edged to third slip.
Sussex gained further encouragement with three wickets in ten overs after lunch. Emilio Gay (20) lost his off stump to give Seales his sixth wicket of the match and Karun Nair edged Robinson to third slip with Coles taking a superb catch low to his left.
George Bartlett drove off spinner Carson onto the roof of the South Stand only to perish two balls later before a stand of 73 between Procter and Rob Keogh steered Northants into calmer waters, for a while at least.
Coles added to his three first-innings wickets with three more after tea. Zaib was well caught at slip trying to guide the ball to third man; Keogh was lbw to a quicker ball for a well-made 55; and Michael Finan taken at second slip on the drive. Carson sparked the collapse when he went around the wicket to have Procter leg before as he aimed through midwicket.
Robinson finished with 2 for 19 from ten overs in three spells and bowled at a good pace throughout. He will have been pleased to get through 32 overs in what was only his second first-class match since July 2023.
Full Scores: Northamptonshire 371 (Luke Procter 92, Karun Nair 57, Jayden Seales 4-86) and 170 for 9 (Rob Keogh 55) drew with Sussex 478 for 9 declared (Tom Haines 133, James Coles 78, Fynn Hudson-Prentice 73, Jack Carson 61, Saif Zaib 4-84)
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