Out of favour Test capped pacers, Ollie Robinson and Jaydev Unadkat, demolished Worcestershire's batting lineup yesterday (September 24) at New Road, taking all 10 wickets on the opening day of the final round of the 2025 County Championship.
Ollie Robinson and Jaydev Unadkat run through Worcestershire
Former England pacer Robinson got the ball rolling in the first over for Sussex, getting opener Rehaan Edavalath caught behind with his third ball of the day before he clean bowled Jake Libby with his sixth. Robinson made it three wickets inside his first three overs of the game when he pinned Isaac Mohammed lbw for 5, and dismissed Rob Jones in similar style, still within the first hour of play, for 1. That wicket left Worcestershire 36-4, with four of their top five back in the dressing room.
Worcestershire's future in Division Two for next year had already been confirmed before the fixture, with their solitary Championship win this year now four months ago. Sussex went into the game looking to avoid joining them as the second relegated side, having been promoted from Division Two last year.
After Robinson's opening burst, Unadkat joined the action later in the morning. He broke a 35-run partnership between Gareth Roderick and Daniel Lategan by dismissing Roderick caught behind. In the following over, Robinson secured his five-for with the wicket of Lategan – the 23rd five-for of his first-class career.
Following Unadkat dismissing Ethan Brookes, the tail quickly collapsed. Unadkat got Tom Taylor and Ben Allison in the same over, before Robinson finished off the innings with the wicket of Matthew Waite, leaving his figures at 6-68. Unadkat's figures read 4-43.
Match 121, Worcestershire vs Sussex
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Robinson gives a reminder of international pedigree
Robinson's reminder of his considerably skill with the red-ball comes in the same week as England announced their Ashes squad. Robinson featured in the last Ashes series in Australia in 2020/21, taking 11 wickets over four Tests. Despite concerns over his fitness during that tour, he became one of England's most potent Test bowlers over the following two years, particularly impressing in their historic 2022 series-win in Pakistan.
However, he has not played a Test match since the fourth Test of England's series in India in February 2024. In his place, Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue and Brydon Carse have all moved up the pace-bowling pecking order.
Unadkat made his Test debut in 2010, and waited 12 years to play his second. He was recalled to the India Test squad in 2022 when Mohammed Shami suffered an injury, and took figures of 3-67 in the second Test in Mirpur. He played two Tests against West Indies in 2023, but failed to take a wicket in either of them. 2023 also marked his most recent ODI appearance for India, playing one game against West Indies almost a decade after his initial run in the side.
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