Ollie Robinson faces ankle scan as Glamorgan fight back against Sussex

Ollie Robinson bowling against RobinsonImage source, Rex Features
Image caption,

Robinson did not return after an eight-over bowling spell

County Championship Division Two, 1st Central County Ground, Hove (day three)

Glamorgan 123: Robinson 4-29 & 499-5: Carlson 187*, Labuschagne 138, Byrom 57

Sussex 481: Coles 138, Smith 89, Hudson-Prentice 73, Haines 58; Neser 3-81

Glamorgan (2 pts) lead Sussex (7 pts) by 141 runs with five second-innings wickets standing

England fast bowler Ollie Robinson did not return after lunch for Sussex and is set for an ankle scan as Glamorgan took their match into a fourth day.

Marnus Labuschagne and Kiran Carlson hit centuries for Glamorgan, who lead by 141 on 499-5.

Labuschagne made 138 in his final county innings before Australia duties, and acting captain Carlson is on 187.

Robinson is the latest injury worry for England before a Test against Ireland and the Ashes this summer.

He did not resume after bowling a wicketless eight-over spell.

"He's got a sore ankle and he'll be scanned on Monday to see how bad he is," Sussex coach Paul Farbrace told BBC Radio Sussex.

"We knew it was sore yesterday and that's why we got one spell out of him this morning. He tried his hardest and got stuck in because he knew it was one only and that would be it for the day.

"It was precautionary really. There was no point in making it worse, and it's walking that makes it sore rather than running."

Robinson is in England's 15-strong squad to face Ireland at Lord's on 1 June, with James Anderson also included despite recently suffering a mild groin strain.

Meanwhile, fellow Sussex and England paceman Jofra Archer has been ruled out for the entire summer, while Nottinghamshire's Olly Stone will be missing for several weeks with a hamstring injury.

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Kiran Carlson is Glamorgan captain in the One-Day Cup and vice-captain for the Champoionship side

In his first Championship match in charge, Carlson out-scored his illustrious partner, striking 18 fours and two sixes to finish four short of his career-best as he took the game to Sussex.

Labuschagne hit 16 fours and four sixes but faced 244 balls in all as he mixed watchful defence with occasional flurries of violence, adding 288 for the fourth wicket.

It was easily a record for Glamorgan against Sussex, beating the previous best stand of 161 by Sir Viv Richards and Tony Cottey in 1990.

The weather and the cricket were of high quality early on as Robinson charged in down the slope and Labuschagne dug in to start the rescue effort.

Spinner Jack Carson made the day's first breakthroughs with a superb stumping from Oli Carter to get rid of debutant Zain Ul Hassan after a mature knock of 43 as a stand-in opener, just lifting his back heel as he went for a slog-sweep.

Sam Northeast fell lbw first ball as Carson turned one just enough, and the young Northern Irishman then had Robinson come on at the other end to ramp up the pressure.

Carlson was dropped at slip off Robinson on three and blasted a return chance through Carson's fingers on 21, while Labuschagne reached his 50 with a slog-sweep six off left-arm spinner James Coles.

The century partnership came up just before lunch, and Glamorgan were remorseless with the bat in the afternoon session as Robinson's absence left Sussex's seam attack short-handed.

The new ball failed to make an impression and Carlson in particular was positive against the spinners as Glamorgan added a further 153 runs in the second session.

Labuschagne smashed a couple of straight boundaries off Carson after tea but fell to batting hero Coles who won an lbw shout with the first ball of a new spell.

Glamorgan were only 53 ahead at that point, but Carlson and Billy Root added 63 before Root was caught at short-leg for 26 off Coles to revive home spirits.

Chris Cooke, who had not kept wicket because of a groin injury, saw out the final half-hour with Carlson.

Glamorgan's Marnus Labuschagne told BBC Sport Wales:

"It's been a very enjoyable season so far (at Glamorgan) and we've played some very good cricket, but I'm disappointed. You might have the hundred on the board but it's slightly underwhelming not to be able to put us in a situation where he can win the game.

"(Friday) afternoon, that spell facing Ollie Robinson, I really felt my game was in a nice space defending and moving into the ball, then there were periods of time where I lost a bit of rhythm and then got back into it. But I'm pretty happy where my game's at, I just want to make sure that come that first Test Championship morning (against India) that I'm ready for the contest.

"Kiran has played a phenomenal innings, a very mature innings in his first game as captain being able to keep his head. I'm really proud of how he's anchored in and made very few errors.

"Our first point is steering ourselves to safety and a position where we can't lose the game, then it's about potentially putting Sussex under pressure."

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