Third consecutive five-wicket haul for Ollie Robinson, before Durham fight back on day two

Ollie Robinson secured the sixth five-wicket haul of his  first-class career – and his third in as many innings – on the second day of Sussex’s Specsavers County Championship match against Durham at Emirates Riverside, which ended with the home side leading by 201 runs with six wickets remaining in their second innings.

With the rest of this fixture and two further matches left to play, Robinson’s 63 wickets so far this season is already the best Championship haul for a Sussex bowler since Steve Magoffin’s 69 in 2015.

Durham began the day 92-7 in need of an effort from the tail to guide them to a competitive first-innings' score. However, Robinson was able to strike three times, removing Stuart Poynter, Matt Salisbury and Nathan Rimmington, to dismissing the hosts for 103.

Sussex were immediately pegged back in their response as Tom Haines edged a Rushworth delivery to third slip in the first over. Phil Salt and Luke Wells attempted to see off the new ball and made steady progress before both players were dismissed in back-to-back deliveries as Rushworth and Salisbury struck. 

Chris Rushworth – who ended with the remarkable figures of 8-51 - then took command of proceedings from the Lumley End. He notched his 400th first-class wicket for Durham by bowling Harry Finch for 12 with a fine delivery. The dismissal opened the floodgates to bring the home side back into the contest. Ben Brown and Michael Burgess fell to the seamer, who claimed a 21st five-wicket haul in the four-day format.

A brilliant catch by Will Smith at gully sent Chris Jordan on his way, while Jofra Archer lasted only a solitary delivery when he was cleaned up by Rushworth. Robinson handed the veteran his eighth wicket of the innings, although Poynter and Paul Collingwood had to combine to take the catch behind the stumps. Another scalp would have seen Rushworth claim his career-best figures, but Salisbury ended the innings by trapping David Wiese in front of the stumps, bowling out the visitors for 122 and a lead of 19.

Durham capitalised on their momentum to eradicate the deficit without loss as Cameron Steel and Alex Lees built a solid partnership. The duo put on 72 for the first wicket before Lees was given out caught behind on 43 off the bowling of Robinson. Archer then accounted for the scalp of Smith to apply pressure. Steel held firm at the other end, reaching his fifty off 78 deliveries with a boundary down to fine leg. Graham Clark struck three boundaries early in his knock, but was pinned lbw by Archer for 21.

Steel continued his impressive knock, making his runs at a good pace to break into the nineties. He was given a life on 95 when he top edged a delivery from Jordan, but Salt running back slipped as he attempted to make the catch. The 22-year-old made his first century of the campaign, reaching the milestone with a boundary through the covers off his 158th delivery. The partnership between Steel and Richardson was ended on 55 as the former was removed by Robinson. However, Steel remained unbeaten at the close alongside Axar Patel his side well poised on 220-4.