Ollie Robinson shows Sussex he’s still got it, even as England turn the page

Sussex 118 for 2 (Hughes 35) beat Lancashire 114 (Livingstone 43, Jennings 37) by eight wickets

It is not hard to imagine a world in which Ollie Robinson spent Wednesday preparing to lead England’s attack against Sri Lanka at The Oval. Instead, with weeks left to run on his central contract, he spearheaded Sussex’s charge into T20 Blast Finals Day at a sold-out Hove – first with the ball, and then in the field with a bullseye run-out of Liam Livingstone.

It was a performance that left Sussex’s captain, Tymal Mills, pushing Robinson’s credentials on the franchise circuit. “Hopefully, he picks up some more T20 gigs off the back of it,” Mills said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen with him England-wise in red-ball cricket, but he’s shown he’s a very skilful new-ball bowler.”

Even with Jos Buttler missing, Lancashire fielded seven internationals to Sussex’s five but were totally outplayed, with Robinson instrumental. On a fresh, grassy pitch, he struck with the first ball of the match, bowling Phil Salt – returning to his old club – via his pad with an in-ducker, then yorked Keaton Jennings in the seventh over after being swung over mid-on for a pair of sixes.

Jennings’ dismissal for 37 sparked a slow-motion collapse of 5 for 14 in four overs, before Livingstone took charge of the game: he twice crunched Mills over square leg, and launched Jofra Archer over long-off. But on 43, after steering to short third, he was sent back by Luke Wood, sprawled at full stretch to make his ground, and was beaten by Robinson’s direct hit.

When Archer, playing his first game in the Blast since 2021, rearranged Saqib Mahmood’s stumps, Lancashire had been bowled out for just 114, the lowest first-innings score at Hove in eight years. Brad Currie struck twice with his inswingers, while spinners James Coles and Jack Carson kept the brakes on through the middle – but Robinson was the star.

“I didn’t expect to have him much at all in the Blast,” Mills said. “But once it looked like he was getting left out of the England team, he was with us from the start and has been fantastic. He’s been thinking about the game, helping me out in the field, and I can’t speak highly enough of him. It’s been a huge boost to have him.”

Robinson is not renowned as the most athletic fielder but was quick to point out on Sky Sports that his direct hit was his second of the season. “He’s in excellent shape,” Mills said. “He’s clearly enjoying his cricket. He’s really committed down here — he’s signed a contract extension for next year — and is in a really good place at the moment.”

When Stuart Broad retired at the end of last summer’s Ashes series, Robinson looked like the obvious replacement. Instead, he has played a single Test since, bowling 13 wicketless overs in Ranchi while struggling with a back issue. Even with James Anderson following Broad into retirement and Mark Wood injured, Robinson is nowhere to be seen.

There is little doubt about Robinson’s ability – he still has an exceptional Test record, with 76 wickets at 22.92 – but he has often faced questions about his fitness and his desire. It was only last week that Luke Wright, England’s national selector, challenged him to “show that he’s robust enough to be able to stand up to the rigours of Test cricket.”

It remains to be seen if Robinson can shake the perception that he has blown one chance too many at Test level. Brendon McCullum, England’s new supremo, has often been informed by his mantra: ‘If you can’t change a man, change the man.’ The implication of Robinson’s non-selection throughout the summer is that the change has been made for good.

Either way, this was a promising showing: on an admittedly helpful pitch, Robinson bowled with decent pace, nipped the new ball around and showed his skills to york Jennings. He has 18 Blast wickets at 20.38 this season to supplement 30 at 28.16 in the Championship, and will relish the chance to perform on the big stage at Finals Day next Saturday.

This was an exceptional night for Sussex, and the mood at Hove has changed considerably. Only two years ago, they finished second-last in the County Championship with a single win in the season, and won four T20 games out of 14. Now, they are three games away from clinching promotion in the Championship and two away from the Blast title.

The County Ground was sold out, and the crowd welcomed Salt and Luke Wells back with pantomime boos as their names were announced on the tannoy. Sussex will not have Archer available at Edgbaston on account of England’s T20I series against Australia – but after this 10th T20 win of the season, they have reason to believe they can break a 15-year wait for this trophy.