County Championship: Middlesex promotion hopes end despite Robson ton

Sam Robson’s superb 113 spearheaded Middlesex’s sprint to 271 all out from just 44.3 overs at Hove, with Sussex replying with a more sedate 112-2 in the County Championship.

Tom Haines’ unbeaten 53 steered Sussex through 33 late overs, leaving them with the prospect of clinching the Division Two title on the final day of the season.

Fast bowler Tom Helm dismissed both Oli Carter for 15 and Tom Clark for 14 but Tom Alsop (11 not out) stayed with Haines until stumps.

Middlesex needed to win in this final Championship round while also requiring second-placed Yorkshire to lose against Northamptonshire.

But Yorkshire’s six bonus points at Headingley meant they go up alongside Division Two leaders Sussex – who now need just one batting point, or a draw in this game, to become second division champions.

Robson’s hundred was his fourth of this season as he reached three figures off 87 balls and hit 15 fours.

With Ryan Higgins including three legside sixes in a 28-ball 40, Middlesex were at one stage 181-3 – but Higgins then swept slow left-armer James Coles high to deep square leg and Middlesex’s first innings fell away.

Coles finished with 4-61 while off spinner Jack Carson’s 3-46 took him to 50 Championship wickets for the season.

Opening bowlers Ollie Robinson and Jaydev Unadkat claimed Middlesex’s first three wickets, the former removing Mark Stoneman for 13.

Indian left-armer Unadkat then replaced Robinson and almost immediately bowled Max Holden for 24 and later had Leus du Plooy (six) held at first slip by Alsop.

By then Robson had completed a 51-ball fifty by straight driving Unadkat for four and Higgins’ arrival sparked a rollicking fourth-wicket partnership of 78 from just 8.3 overs.

Coles followed up his dismissal of Higgins by having Josh de Caires (one) well-held by Carson at deep square leg.

After tea Robson swept Carson to deep backward square leg before Toby Roland-Jones (eight) mishit Coles to mid off, Helm (seven) was caught and Luke Hollman’s bright 34-ball 39 was ended when he was bowled swinging at Coles.