Robinson steers steady Queensland
Andrew Robinson helped Queensland achieve a steady start to their Sheffield Shield campaign as they batted through the opening day at the Gabba despite having been sent in
ESPNcricinfo staff
11-Oct-2011
Andrew Robinson helped Queensland achieve a steady start to their Sheffield Shield campaign as they batted through the opening day at the Gabba despite having been sent in. At stumps, the Bulls were 6 for 306, which was a fine effort after they lost their captain James Hopes to a knee injury, the star batsman Chris Lynn to a shoulder problem, and the fast man Chris Swan to a shoulder injury in the lead-up to the match.
At the close of play, the acting captain Chris Hartley was on 41 and Ben Cutting had reached 38, with their 65-run partnership frustrating the Victorians. Early-season Gabba pitches are often a seamer's paradise, but after Victoria's captain Andrew McDonald won the toss it took his bowlers until the 27th over to make their first breakthrough.
That came when McDonald trapped Ryan Broad lbw for 32, and although Darren Pattinson (2 for 57) chipped in with a couple of middle-order wickets, the opener Robinson had enough support to build a strong platform for the Bulls. At 30, Robinson has been a late starter in first-class cricket, but in his fifth game he showed the calm nature that earned him a contract in the off-season.
Robinson brought up his second first-class half-century with a cover-drive off Peter Siddle before he was eventually caught behind for 78 when he inside-edged behind off Clint McKay. Nathan Reardon seemed set for a half-century when he lofted Glenn Maxwell's offspin to the man at long-on for 49, but Cutting and Hartley kept the Bulls on track.