ECB block Robinson’s comeback for Sussex

OLLIE ROBINSON was withdrawn from Sussex duty by the ECB yesterday over concerns his fitness is not at the required level for first-class cricket. The England seamer was scheduled to make his comeback against Durham, but the England medical team’s advice was to make him unavailable after a tooth infection forced him out of training last week. England pinned their hopes on Robinson in a new-look attack for last month’s Test series in the Caribbean but he suffered a back spasm in the warm-up in Antigua and did not feature. Now he has a month to prove he is robust enough to be considered for the Lord’s Test against New Zealand on June 2. Meanwhile, back stiffness interrupted England wicketkeeper Ben Foakes’s fine start to the summer. The 29-year-old averages 144 for Surrey after three matches but was not fit to face Gloucestershire yesterday.

ESSEX were hit with further upheaval last night when three more board members, plus president David Acfield, agreed to quit in light of the racism scandal that has hit the club. Sportsmail reported on Wednesday that Wasim Haq — the board member who blew the whistle on the allegations surrounding former chair John Faragher — and his supporter Paul Harvey had resigned. Now Nigel Hilliard, Ian Patterson and Mike Smith, all believed to be supporters of Faragher, have joined them, along with former Essex spinner Acfield. It will leave eight vacancies on the board.