English cricket prepares to take a breather on Monday as in-form bowler and Ashes trump card Ollie Robinson has a scan on his left ankle after picking it up injured for Sussex
- Sussex star Ollie Robinson will have a scan on his injured left ankle on Monday
- The England bowler suffered the knock in the County Championship vs Glamorgan
- Robinson has been in superb form early in the season and is a trump card for the Ashes
English cricket will be crossing its fingers on Monday 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 was in superb form early in the season, taking 20 wickets at 13 each, including 14 in the match against Worcestershire.
But he could only bowl 17 overs in Glamorgan’s mammoth second-innings 737 in Hove, and was seen on crutches on Sunday, wearing a protective boot.
England insisted it was a precautionary measure to relieve pressure on the joint, while Robinson himself is said to be unfazed by the injury.
With Jofra Archer out for the summer, and Olly Stone set to miss at least the first three Tests against Australia, England’s bowling attack cannot afford to be decimated by another injury.
English cricket will be crossing its fingers on Monday when Ollie Robinson has an injury scan
The Sussex bowler, 29, will have a scan on the left ankle he injured playing against Glamorgan
Robinson has been in superb early form and is England’s trump card for the Ashes
Robinson’s importance — whose 66 Test wickets cost just 21 each — when he pinned Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne, the world’s top-ranked batter, with the first ball he bowled to him in the first innings of Glamorgan on Thursday.
With Robinson mostly out of their match, Labuschagne scored 138 — taking his county haul this summer to 502 runs off 71.
Jimmy Anderson, meanwhile, is said to be recovering well from a groin strain picked up during Lancashire’s recent match against Somerset, and this week is expected to increase his run rate.
Dressing-room insiders say his fitness is not a real concern for the Ashes, although 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, going 40 overs in the match and collecting four wickets, including Tom Westley for 95 on the last day.
There was another near miss in the Essex second innings.
Alastair Cook – who looked on course to score a 74th first-class hundred – was caught behind for 99.
Two of Australia’s Ashes top order endured contrasting fates 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.
Meanwhile, Marcus Harris carried his bat for 122, but could not 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 ended the match with six wickets for Durham.
Surrey 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 to 403 in 36 — rather better than some of his detractors might have you think.
Spare a thought for Harry Brook, who was unbeaten for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL until the penultimate against Mumbai, and was bowled by seamer Akash Madhwal first ball — his third duck in four innings.
