Ollie Robinson has revealed the magic numbers which can help turn Sussex’s attack into matchwinners.

The county will aim to complete an emphatic victory over Middlesex at Lord’s on day four after being held up by rain and bad light yesterday.

Robinson took all wickets to fall as the hosts were left on 61-4, still 282 runs behind.

It has been an impressive – and, Sussex will hope, triumphant – return from a problem just below his shoulder.

He took two wickets in an over and 3-8 in 14 balls under a moody sky and gleaming floodlights yesterday before Middlesex were given a chance to seek refuge for the afternoon.

Robinson has also been having an input off the field as Sussex aim to turn a dominant position into a win, something they have failed to do in recent draws against Northants and Glamorgan.

The right-armer, who missed those matches as well as the 50-overs campaign, said: “In the chat before the game started, I said to the team, ‘Whatever we do, let’s not shy away from things’.

“I don’t know what has happened in the last two games.

“I’ve not actually watched it. I have just seen it on the scorecard.

“But I feel sometimes we maybe aren’t aggressive enough.

“To try and take 20 wickets, you can’t really look to defend too much.

“Twenty wickets in four days, anywhere in the country, is a good effort.

“The chat before the game was be aggressive, hit the top of off-stump really hard and just keep coming all day.

“If you get 480 like we did, you can almost set any field you want.

“Batters, on these pitches at the moment, aren’t going to last all day if you come in aggressive and hit the top of off-stump hard.”

Which is where those numbers and some careful study come in.

Robinson said: “We have an analyst at Hove who gives us our percentages of hitting top of off, percentages of hitting middle, the lines and lengths we bowl. It’s good.

“I think last year I had a stat against Middlesex at Hove where 79% of my balls (would have) hit the top of off. I got a seven-for (7-58).

“In the game before, it was about 39% and I got a two-for, so that’s hard evidence to show it works.

“I think 65-75% is probably a realistic target. You are not always going to bowl for off-stump, anyway.

“Sometimes you’ll bowl a bumper, sometimes you’ll give them a little carrot.

“I think we have been a bit off the pace in the last two games but, in this game, I think we had a hard, honest chat and everybody has reflected on that and improved nicely.”

Robinson has a few international bowlers around him – not to mention the presence of head coach and former Australia star Jason Gillespie.

But he revealed he has no qualms about delivering a few home truths.

He said: “It’s player-led. I’ve not been around in the last couple of games but I have come in this time and said a few things to the lads and was quite honest with a few of them.

“It has paid off, thankfully.

“Last year I was supposedly the leader of the attack so I feel like this year, if I can take that on again, it brings a few of the lads with me.

“I know Davey (Wiese) has not had much confidence in the last few games.

“Then, in the first innings here, he gets a five-for. It just shows it definitely helps.”

Sussex would have loved to have finished the job yesterday but the forecast for a cloudy but dry day proved optimistic.

Max Holden edged a ball from Robinson to Luke Wells at fourth slip as it left him for a morning breakthrough.

Rain and bad light forced an early lunch but Robinson’s eyes must have lit up as the covers came back off.

Moving the ball both ways off the seam, he bowled Sam Robson through the gate and, in the same over, induced a Dawid Malan edge to first slip Chris Jordan.

Steve Eskinazi’s prod at a ball on off-stump gave Phil Salt a catch among the array of slip fielders.

Nick Gubbins and James Harris survived until rain returned and Sussex’s frustrated players headed off for an early-evening gym session.

But the numbers should add up to an away win today.