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.”
Livingstone lights up Lord's as England level ODI series
England showed their power with the bat and ball as they levelled their ODI series with a 186-run thumping of Australia in a rain-delayed match at Lord's.
Harry Brook, Ben Duckett and a blistering batting display from Liam Livingstone sent England on their way before Matthew Potts starred with the ball in hand.
After a relatively quiet start to the top order that saw Phil Salt (22) and Will Jacks (10) fall early, Brook quickly found his rhythm, cruising to a 37-ball half-century.
Duckett's 63 runs from 62 deliveries, coupled with Brook (87), saw England take control, but the pair were dismissed within eight overs of each other.
However, a late onslaught ensued when Livingstone was welcomed to the crease, notching an unbeaten 62 runs from 27 deliveries, a knock that included seven sixes, four of which came as he took 28 off the last over of the innings from Mitchell Starc.
With England ending on 312-5, Australia started their chase strongly, but the wickets of Mitchell Marsh (28), Travis Head (34) and Steve Smith (five) within four overs started the tourists' collapse.
Australia crumbled from 68-0 to 126 all out in 24.4 overs, with Potts (4-38) doing most of the damage, with Adil Rashid (1-11) sealing the win with the wicket of Josh Hazlewood to force a decider in Bristol on Sunday.
Data Debrief: Livingstone leads comeback
In a game that saw a number of standout performers, Livingstone's display with the bat broke ODI records for matches at Lord's.
The Lancashire spin bowler's 25-ball half-century was the fastest seen at Lord's, while England's 12 sixes is a new record in an ODI encounter at the home of cricket.
The triumph also saw England produce their second-highest winning margin against Australia when batting first in the ODI's, with their 242-run victory at Trent Bridge in 2018 the only game they have won by a larger gap.
Kemar Roach rejoins Surrey for crucial County Championship run-in
Barbados and West Indies fast bowler Kemar Roach has rejoined Surrey for the final four matches of the County Championship, bolstering their pace attack as they aim for a third consecutive title.
The 36-year-old, who featured in Surrey's opening six matches of the season and took 18 wickets, has been a key figure in the club’s recent successes. Roach played a significant role in Surrey’s last two title-winning campaigns, and his return comes as a timely boost for the team, who are currently leading Division One by 35 points over second-placed Somerset.
“It’s great to be back at my second home with Surrey, and I’ve kept a close eye on the boys from afar," Roach said in an interview with Surrey's official website. "We know what the goal is, and I’m going to give everything to achieve it."
Roach's experience and skill will be vital as Surrey looks to secure their third consecutive championship. With a remarkable career record of 408 wickets across 82 Tests, 95 ODIs, and 11 T20Is for the West Indies, Roach's presence in the squad adds depth and a wealth of experience.
He will be available for selection for Surrey’s upcoming match against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge on Thursday, where his contributions will be crucial in maintaining their lead at the top of the table.
Surrey's push for the title has been strengthened by Roach's return, and his impact on the field could be the decisive factor in their quest for another championship triumph.
Smith, Maxwell star to lead Washington Freedom to 96-run win over San Francisco Unicorns in MLC final
Australians Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell played starring roles to help the Washington Freedom dismantle the San Francisco Unicorns by 96 runs at the Grand Prairie Stadium on Sunday to claim their maiden Major League Cricket title.
Unicorns captain Corey Anderson won the toss and put the Freedom in to bat, a decision he was made to regret in the end as Washington piled up 207-5 from their 20 overs.
Captain Smith starred with a 52-ball 88 including seven fours and six sixes while Maxwell made 40 off 22 balls including one four and four sixes against 2-35 off four overs from Pat Cummins.
The Freedom then produced a dominant performance with the ball as well, dismissing the Unicorns for 111 in 16 overs to claim the title.
Tail-ender Carmi le Roux was the highest scorer in the innings with 20* as Rachin Ravindra and Marco Jansen took 3-23 from four overs and 3-28 from four overs, respectively.
Andrew Tye was also excellent with 2-12 from his two overs.
The Freedom are rightfully champions having suffered only one loss all season.
Full Scores:
Washington Freedom 207-5 off 20 overs (Steve Smith 88, Glenn Maxwell 40, Pat Cummins 2-35)
San Francisco Unicorns 111 all out off 16 overs (Carmi ls Roux 20*, Rachin Ravindra 3-23, Marco Jansen 3-28)
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