Robinson stars as ruthless Sussex push for top-two slot

Sussex 373 (Jordan 68, Brown 60, Mike 4-57) and 210 (Jordan 54, Mike 5-37) beat Leicestershire 133 (Robinson 5-24, Archer 3-28) and 176 (Robinson 5-43, Archer 3-44) by 274 runs
Scorecard

Sussex moved into second place in Division Two after a ruthless 274-runs win over Leicestershire at Hove.

Sussex quick Ollie Robinson took the first five wickets to fall as Leicestershire, chasing 451 to win, were bowled out for 176.

Sussex have now won five of their last six games in the Specsavers County Championship and, on this evidence, look capable of filling one of the two promotion places and returning to the top flight after an absence of three years.

Paul Nixon, Leicestershire's coach, said: "Sussex are a well-drilled outfit, hardworking with highly skilled players and they are a benchmark for us. These three days have been a great learning curve for us in that regards but Ben Mike was a revelation for us. Eight wickets on his debut was a special performance by him - I'm delighted about that."

Robinson, who signed a new contract on Wednesday, finished with career-best match figures of 10 for 67 while the excellent Jofra Archer picked up 3 for 44 from 20 overs as Leicestershire folded after tea, losing their last seven wickets for 55 as they were condemned to a third straight defeat.

Robinson started his spree when he had Paul Horton leg before half-forward for ten. Two balls later Harry Dearden was caught behind off an inside edge and before lunch Mark Cosgrove lost his off stump, pinned on the crease by the effervescent Robinson.

There was some resistance by Colin Ackerman, whose 52 was the only half-century by a Leicestershire batsman in the match. He put on 59 either side of tea with Neil Dexter for the fourth wicket but when Robinson returned for his second spell he found late movement to trap Ackerman leg before deep in his crease after the South African hit nine fours in 101 balls faced. Robinson struck again two balls later when he plucked out Ned Eckersley's off stump.

There was no way back for the Foxes from 121 for 5. Archer had bowled superbly without luck but was finally rewarded when Dexter's obdurate vigil ended on 30 with a thin nick to a ball which left him off the pitch at pace.

Ben Raine hit out once too often and was taken at mid-on to give left-arm spinner Danny Briggs a wicket before Archer picked up two of the last three wickets. Ben Mike (4) was well held by the diving Harry Finch at second slip and Dieter Klein yorked in the same over for a duck. David Wiese finished things off when he bowled Mohammad Abbas for four with 16 overs of the third day to be bowled.

Earlier, Chris Jordan had scored his second half-century of the match before Sussex were bowled out for 210 in their second innings. Sussex were 103 for 7 after the early loss of Ben Brown (10) but Jordan and Archer put on 70 for the eighth wicket before young seamer Mike swept away Sussex's tail.

The 20-year-old took the last three wickets to fall including Jordan, who was bowled for 54, to finish with 5 for 37 and match figures of 8 for 110 on his debut.