Robinson injury gives England more worries
ENGLISH cricket will be crossing its fingers today when Ollie Robinson — one of their trump cards for the Ashes — has a scan after injuring his left ankle playing for sussex in the County Championship.
Robinson has been in superb early- season form, taking 20 wickets at just 13 each, including 14 in the match against Worcestershire. But he could bowl just 17 overs during glamorgan’s mammoth second-innings 737 at hove, and was yesterday seen on crutches, wearing a protective boot.
England insist that is a precautionary measure to alleviate pressure on the joint, while Robinson himself is said not to be too disheartened by the injury.
With Jofra Archer ruled out for the summer, and Olly stone set to miss at least the first three Tests against Australia, England’s bowling attack can ill afford to be depleted by another injury.
The importance of Robinson — whose 66 Test wickets have cost only 21 apiece — was underlined when he pinned Australia’s Marnus labuschagne, the world’s top-ranked batter, with the first ball he bowled to him during glamorgan’s first innings on Thursday. With Robinson mainly absent during their fightback, labuschagne scored 138 — taking his county haul this summer to 502 runs at 71.
Jimmy Anderson, meanwhile, is said to be recovering well from the groin strain picked up during lancashire’s recent match against somerset, and is this week expected to increase his levels of running. Dressingroom insiders say his fitness is not a real concern for the Ashes, though it remains unclear whether Anderson will play against ireland.
his long- time new- ball partner stuart Broad got a good workout during nottinghamshire’s draw with Essex at Trent Bridge, getting through 40 overs in the match and collecting four wickets, including Tom Westley for 95 on the final day. There was another near miss in the Essex second innings, when Alastair Cook — who had looked on course to tick off a 74th first- class hundred — was caught behind for 99.
Two of Australia’s Ashes top order endured contrasting fortunes on the final day of the seventh round of matches. glamorgan’s rearguard, which also included centuries from captain Kiran Carlson and Australian seamer Michael neser, meant no second innings for steve smith, who ended up batting just three times in his three matches for sussex.
Marcus harris, meanwhile, carried his bat for 122, but couldn’t prevent gloucestershire slipping to a 125-run defeat by Division Two leaders Durham at Bristol. England Test hopeful Matthew Potts collected three for 52 and finishing the match with six wickets for Durham.
surrey had already extended their lead at the top of Division One after completing victory over Kent at The Oval, where scores of 19 and 34 for England Test opener Zak Crawley took his season’s haul to 403 at 36 — rather better than some of his detractors may imagine.
spare a thought for harry Brook, who didn’t get to bat for sunrisers hyderabad in the iPl until the penultimate over against Mumbai, and was bowled first ball by seamer Akash Madhwal — his third duck in four innings.