Ollie Robinson takes thirteen wickets in opening win of 2021

Ollie Robinson continued his push for England recognition with career best bowling figures of nine for 78 as Sussex wrapped up an eight wicket victory against Glamorgan in the LV=Insurance County Championship.

Glamorgan started the day 62 runs in front with Kiran Carlson and Callum Taylor well set and they managed to get to lunch for the loss of just one wicket.

That changed after the interval with Robinson claiming four victims in the space of four overs to set up victory in a match where he took 13 wickets and made 67 with the bat.

Sussex needed 154 for victory, a total they reached with few alarms with Aaron Thomason top scoring with 78 not out.

Sussex didn’t have to wait long for their first breakthrough, Robinson claiming his fifth wicket when Carlson edged him to Thomason in the slips for 132. With Carlson dismissed for the first time in this match Sussex had a chance to wrap up the Glamorgan innings quickly but Taylor and Dan Douthwaite stood firm.

First five-fer of 2⃣0⃣2⃣1⃣: ☑️

The only wicket to fall this morning, courtesy of @OllieRobinson25. He currently has match figures of 9-122! 👏 pic.twitter.com/x5HYiQHvd8

— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) April 18, 2021

Taylor went past his fifty from 132 balls, an innings that was a stark contrast to his lightning quick hundred on debut last season. Glamorgan reached the lunch break at 336 for six with the chances of a drawn match increasing.

As has been the case throughout this match it was Robinson who made the difference. He was back into the attack for the start of the afternoon session and had Douthwaite dismissed lbw for 26. He repeated this feat with the very next ball, James Weighell trapped in front to bag a pair on Glamorgan debut.

Robinson picked up the last two Glamorgan wickets, returning the best first class figures by an England qualified player since Chris Woakes took nine for 36 against Durham in 2016. The last man out was Taylor for 84 from 251 balls.

What did he have for lunch!? 😅

An incredible spell after the break with three more wickets for @OllieRobinson25! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/R0UkrUI1Ud

— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) April 18, 2021

Glamorgan started well in the final innings with Michael Hogan getting Tom Haines caught at first slip by Andy Balbirnie for six. The only other success for Glamorgan came when first innings centurion Stiaan van Zyl edged David Lloyd to Chris Cooke for 12.

From there it was all Sussex as Aaron Thomason made his second fifty of the match with Tom Clark finishing on 54 not out in a partnership that was worth 112. 

A man in SERIOUS form! 😏@AaronThomason24's second fifty of the match came off 78 balls with eight boundaries. He now has 167 runs and counting already this season! 📈 pic.twitter.com/GBKgwEOSUW

— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) April 18, 2021

Well batted, @tomclark2702! 👏

His second first-class fifty, which came off 76 balls, included seven fours and one six! 💥 pic.twitter.com/NX63AAFu2t

— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) April 18, 2021

 

After the match, Ollie Robinson said: "I'm very pleased. Just pleased for the lads as well really. It is a great win. We have had a really good winter training and to get that win over four days is really satisfactory.

"Kiran Carlson batted very well, 250 in the game and Taylor applied himself yesterday and this morning. We knew when we saw the pitch it was going to go all four days, it is drier at the moment than normally in April. We spoke before the game about making sure we are there every day for four days and we knew if we did that we would come out on top.

"I have always said if I can just keep performing for Sussex hopefully the selectors can see that and I will get my chance.

"I feel like I am ready for Test cricket. I have felt like that for probably a year now. I’ve been with England for 18 months here and there, sort of in and out. I feel like I am ready and I have just got to wait for my chance I suppose but I am definitely ready.

"I have been a little bit stamped as an English conditions bowler so for me personally I have worked really hard on when it is flatter still taking wickets and using different skills to get those wickets so hopefully I am not pigeon holed as an English conditions type bowler and I can do it all over the world."

Listen to Robinson's full interview with Adrian Harms here: 

Listen to Ben Brown's interview with Adrian Harms here: 

Listen to Aaron Thomason's interview with Adrian Harms here: 

 

Watch extended highlights of day four here: