Seam or spin, Robinson keeps Durham in check

ECB Reporters Network

20-Sep-2017

Durham 321 for 6 (Latham 77, Steel 73, Clark 73*, Robinson 4-69) trail Sussex 346 by 25 runs

On the Chester-le-Street ground where he made a century on debut two years ago, Sussex’s Ollie Robinson underlined his all-round qualities in the Specsavers County Championship match against Durham. He took three wickets with his usual seam and one with offspin as Graham Clark’s unbeaten 73 carried Durham to 321 for 6, 25 behind.

Robinson revived Sussex by removing both Tom Latham and Cameron Steel after they had batted through the day’s first 44 overs to take their second-wicket stand to 163.

He almost had Latham when trying two overs of offspin just before lunch. Having reached fifty off 92 balls with seven fours, the New Zealand opener was almost bowled round his legs. In the same over he survived a sharp chance to Chris Jordan at slip. Latham also looked fortunate to survive a Stuart Whittingham lbw appeal on 37, but both batsmen looked supremely comfortable in the first hour after lunch.

Both got out to miscued pulls off Robinson, however. Steel fell for 73 when he found George Garton at deep midwicket and four overs later Latham skied to Laurie Evans at deep backward square to depart for 77.

With Danny Briggs left out, Robinson provided the only spin option and he tried it again for three overs before taking the second new ball. His seventh delivery had Ryan Pringle lbw on the back foot.

Left-armer Garton, given another outing with Jofra Archer rested, conceded 34 in his first six-over spell but claimed the scalp of Paul Collingwood in his second. The Durham skipper got off the mark by driving wide of mid-on for four, but two balls later Garton skidded one through to pin him bang in front.

Jordan ran in strongly and deserved some reward, but his only success came from a ball which moved so sharply away off the pitch that Michael Richardson would have done extremely well to touch it. He lingered several seconds after being adjudged caught behind.

Clark was missed by Jordan at slip off Robinson on 10 but soon began pulling strongly and had eight fours in his 72-ball fifty. He dominated a stand of 57 with Pringle and enjoyed better support in an unbroken partnership of 42 with Brydon Carse. Bad light ended play with ten overs left.