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Match Report

Seven wickets for Ollie Robinson on day one against Middlesex

4 May 2018

Sussex seamer Ollie Robinson produced his best figures in Championship cricket with 7-58 as Middlesex were bowled out for 230 at The 1st Central County Ground on Friday.

It was the second time this season that Robinson had taken seven wickets in an innings – last month he enjoyed a career-best return of seven for 23 against Loughborough MCCU on the same ground.

But Middlesex hit back when Tim Murtagh took two wickets in successive overs to leave Sussex 5-2 in the fifth over. And then James Harris also struck twice to leave the match in the balance with  Sussex 60-4 at the close.

Middlesex had won the toss before this Specsavers County Championship Division Two fixture but their batsmen were made to work hard against a spirited attack on a lively pitch.  At lunch they were 81-5 before a damage-limiting unbeaten 84 from former England Under-19 captain Max Holden gave their bowlers something to work with in a compelling day’s cricket.

Robinson broke through in the fifth over when he removed Nick Gubbins’ middle stump as the batsman played all round a straight one. That was the the 24-year-old right-armer's 100th first class wicket in his 32nd match.

He dismissed the other opener, Sam Robson, in his next over, as the batsman nibbled at a fine delivery that moved away from him. It was a very clever bit of bowling from Robinson, who had been tailing the ball into the former England batsmen consistently beforehand.

Steve Eskinazi wasn't able to make Sussex pay for dropping him twice. He was lbw to Robinson for and the same bowler then had Hilton had Cartwright caught in the slips for four. Just before lunch, Robinson secured the fourth five-wicket haul of his first- class career when he trapped Dawid Malan in front for 13.

After the interval Holden and John Simpson added 56 in 18 overs for the sixth wicket before Simpson was caught on the deep midwicket boundary off Danny Briggs.  

It was soon 135-7 when Harris was caught at point off the same bowler for a single. Ollie Rayner was then lbw, half-forward, to give Robinson his sixth wicket.

That left Middlesex in a very ordinary position at 169 for eight.  But Holden, dropped on 28, found late order support from Murtagh and the pair put on 51 for the ninth wicket.  

Murtagh finally played a poor stroke and was caught by Luke Wright at mid-off.  Robison completed his demolition job when he plucked out Tom Barber’s off stump to leave Holden stranded.

Middlesex fought back valiantly in the evening session. Murtagh had Luke Wells and Salt well caught in the slips before Harris struck. First, he had Stiaan van Zyl caught by Eskinazi at third slip and then he bowled Luke Wright, shouldering arms, for nine.

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