FORMER Yorkshire seamer Mark Robinson says county cricket needs to see the White Rose blooming.

Robinson, currently the cricket manager at Sussex, watched his current side slip to a nine-wicket defeat to Yorkshire in last week’s LV= County Championship fixture at Scarborough, one which pushed them towards a late season relegation battle.

Despite this, the ex-seamer, who played for his home county between 1991 and 1995, was full of praise for the job being done by Jason Gillespie and ex-colleague Martyn Moxon.

“They are the biggest county. They have got more clubs than anybody and so much talent in the county,” said Robinson.

“I would much rather us came first and Yorkshire second, but you do need Yorkshire to be playing well and keeping cricket alive in the clubs and the shires. There’s a passion for cricket in the county.

“They should produce a lot of young players and nurture them because there’s so many of them.

“With Martyn and Dizzy, they are doing, and it’s great to see. I think they should be doing, but it’s brilliant to see that they are. They’re a good county close to my heart.

“It can be difficult with losing players to England and the Lions. We’ve had that a bit this year at Sussex. I look jealously at someone like Tim Bresnan, who has been their fourth seamer. Bowlers win you games.

“Our bloke’s (Chris Jordan) just been taken away. Next year, even though we’ll probably lose him, we’ll have half a chance to plan. Yes they are losing batters, but it’s the bowlers who win you games.

“My loyalty is towards Sussex, and we’re slightly having to rebuild. It’s one step forward, two back for us at the moment. But Yorkshire have got a few things going in their favour, and it’s working for them.”

Robinson, who has won six trophies as coach of Sussex, spent part of the most recent winter as the coach of the England Lions in Sri Lanka, a tour with a lot of Yorkshire involvement.

“I had Alex Lees, Liam Plunkett and Jonny Bairstow with the Lions,” he added. “I was really impressed with Lees, who is such a strong character. Jonny came into that tour, which was tough for him having just come out of the Ashes. But what a good bloke he is.

“He just needed some space and time back in county cricket to score some runs and feel good about himself. I’m pleased for them as individuals.”