County Championship: Robson and Higgins defy Sussex attack

Sam Robson and Ryan Higgins continued their fine form with centuries as Middlesex’s run-fest of a game with visitors Sussex continued on day three at Lord’s.

Robson underpinned the hosts response to Sussex’s mammoth 554-9 with the 34th first-class hundred of his career, while Higgins added flair with his third century of the campaign – an effort of 106 in Middlesex’s total of 403-6.

Robson and Max Holden, a man revitalised this season moved to 50 with a minimum of fuss, steered the hosts to lunch at 140-1.

Holden fell soon the resumption when he flashed at Jack Carson to be caught at slip for 61.

Leus du Plooy’s contribution of 25 was brisk but brief until hitting Jaden Seales straight down to long leg.

Robson found another ally in the form of all-rounder Higgins before the opener raised his bat. However, he fell to the Fynn Hudson-Prentice’s new ball, chipping a tired shot straight to mid-wicket following his 136.

Higgins continued to be aggressive, while Ollie Robinson continued to curse his luck with the ball.

The England seamer first found the inside edge of the Zimbabwean’s bat only for the ball to trickle onto the stumps without dislodging the bails.

Higgins flashed hard at a wide one on 67 to be reprieved again as James Coles failed to cling on at third slip.

Despite the scare, Higgins forged on by striking Coles for successive boundaries to reach his hundred, before dancing down the pitch to Carson and missing the ball to be stumped by John Simpson.

Tom Helm, promoted to seven, fell only two balls later in identical fashion to cause a few nerves, but 20-year-old Nathan Fernandes underlined his promise with a composed unbeaten 50 to leave the hosts just two short of the follow-on figure of 405 at stumps.