LV COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP – HOVE
Sussex 229 all out
Middlesex 445-5

SAM ROBSON labelled his 166 against Sussex ‘a best of the season so far’ as Middlesex took charge on day two at Hove yesterday.

The Australian-born Londoner, who will have the option of playing for either side by the time of the next Ashes battles in England in 2015, showed just why he is the leading run scorer in Division One Championship cricket, putting the league leaders to the sword on a very lively pitch at the County Ground.

Several balls flew high over the head of Sussex keeper Ben Brown as a pale pitch produced extravagant bounce, especially from the Cromwell End, but Robson plundered a six and 22 fours in a six hours and 20 minutes stay to carry the visitors more than 200 in front.

The 24-year-old right hander made 215 against Warwickshire at Edgbaston earlier in the campaign, but claimed given the pitch and the pressure of coming into the game off back-to-back Championship defeats, this innings topped even his career-best.
He said: “It’s got to be my best yet, given the conditions and the context of the game.

“We knew coming into today it was going to be important to fight, get through the first session and try to get a lead.

“Then we knew every run after that was going to be important, so I’m really pleased I’ve been able to get the team into a good position.

Despite the century which took him to the brink of 1000 runs for the season in the County Championship Robson cited Joe Denly’s 77 in the morning session as the innings which swung the game Middlesex’s way.

Coming in at the fall of Dawid Malan for 32 with the score on 60 the former Kent batsman survived a few hairy moments early on to hit a six and 12 fours in his best score of the season to date.

Robson claimed it was the manner of Denly’s knock which gave his side real momentum.

He added: “Joe’s innings this morning was just outstanding – there is no other way I can really describe it.

“It was magnificent, Chris Jordan was bowling really well and fast and Joe counter-attacked and swung the initiative back in our favour.

“That was a massive innings and a massive two hours in the context of the match.”

Denly fell immediately after lunch, caught at short mid-wicket off one which stopped on him a bit from the excellent Steve Magoffin, ending a partnership of 120 in just 27 overs.

But Adam Voges (20) added another 50 with Robson before Neil Dexter (48) continued the onslaught in another century stand either side of the tea interval.

Robson reached his century shortly before tea, pulling a long hop from an out of sorts Monty .Panesar for four.
Dexter fell to the second new ball when Magoffin (2-71) ripped out his off-stump, but Robson passed 150 as his chanceless innings continued.
Nearing the magic 1000 runs he hit Panesar for a straight six, but advancing down the wicket next ball to repeat the dose he was undone by one which seemed not to bounce at all, rolling under his bat to disturb the bails.

Any hope the Sussex bowlers had of running through the rest ended when Gareth Berg was dropped in the deep on nine.

He remains unbeaten on 26 at stumps in company with John Simpson (39) with the visitors’ lead already in excess of 200.

Sussex crawled out of a similar hole at Lord’s last month, but with Steven Finn, omitted from the Test side now at the County Ground and ready to be unleashed sometime on day three, Middlesex have every reason to be confident of victory this time.