Robson looks ahead to Chelmsford

By Sam Chambers

Leicestershire opener Angus Robson is looking forward to returning to one of his happy hunting grounds this Sunday when the Foxes travel to face table-topping Essex in the Specsavers County Championship at Chelmsford.

Robson followed-up a knock of 94 in 2014 by hitting 120 and 71 in last season's contest at the ground to propel Leicestershire to their first win of the campaign.

Both sides have made considerable progress since their last meeting at Chelmsford and the match is seen as one featuring two teams with serious designs on finishing there or thereabouts at the end of the season.

Robson said: "It's a very important game, with both ourselves and Essex looking to be near the top come the end of the season.

"We're looking forward to it, we go there feeling good, and we played well and beat them last year at Chelmsford.

"I think it's going to be one of the biggest challenges we've had this season. They're playing really well and have a lot of key individual players so it's going to be a tough game.

"If you look at it closely, I think the next few weeks are really crucial. It's a really important period with playing Essex, Gloucestershire twice and Worcestershire all before the end of July.

"It's important to get off to a good start on Sunday but we're in a good place to play well the next month and challenge the best teams.

"It's a completely different club now and the whole feel of the place is completely different to when we last played at the ground."

With the weather playing havoc so far this summer, including Leicestershire’s last four white ball fixtures, it could be easy for the players to become despondent with so much play being lost to the elements.

Robson, however, says that the mood in the camp remains upbeat, and is philosophical on how the inclement conditions have affected his side's advance up the table.

He said: "Spirits are high and we're very keen to play now as obviously we haven't played much for a week or two because of the weather, even in the one-day competitions.

"It's definitely been very frustrating. There were two Championship games where we were really ahead of the game before the rain got involved but I think if you look back, it has affected everyone now. All of the teams have had a pretty even amount of games affected and no-one can say they've been unluckier than anyone else.

"There's been some frustrating things that have happened, but ultimately we've played really well in five out of six Championship games, being equal or ahead in the contest, so we go into the game in a positive frame of mind. If we play well in the next month we can really put an indent into the top teams.”

Robson recently captained Leicestershire for the first time in the Tourist game against Sri Lanka and his partnership with Paul Horton has flourished in the Specsavers County Championship. The duo has already have two alliances in excess of 100, and another worth 89.

Horton currently averages 44.50 and Robson has been in good nick himself, making two battling half-centuries after the team were inserted in home games against Northants and Worcestershire while also posting 49 not out to guide the team to victory at Glamorgan alongside his opening colleague.

The only thing missing is a really big score for the 24-year-old – something he is keen to address.

"I feel that I've played well, getting the team off to some good starts, now the key is to try and get some big hundreds and build on them,” he said.

"I’m feeling good and have formed a good opening partnership with Paul Horton, it's been brilliant to have a steady partner who's there week in week out.

“Paul is a proven player, he's got a really good record and is someone who brings good experience not just to our partnership, but the whole team.

"I look forward to hopefully five or six weeks of good weather and some really good games. It’s an exciting time for the team."

Robson is part of a 12-man squad for the trip to Chelmsford with Ned Eckersley taking over wicket-keeping duties from Niall O’Brien, who suffered an injury since the last Specsavers County Championship match at Kent.

Rob Taylor and Aadil Ali are also in contention as the duo join the other ten players that were on duty in the rain-affected draw at Canterbury.

Squad: Robson, Horton, Dexter, Cosgrove (capt), Pettini, Eckersley (w/k), Ali, Raine, Taylor, McKay, Sykes, Shreck.