[4] After a number of appearances in Northamptonshire's second XI, Robinson made his first-class debut in 1987 against Lancashire, taking four wickets in the match including those of Mike Watkinson and Neil Fairbrother.

1990 saw Robinson surpass even this level[clarification needed] of ineptitude with the bat, when he set a world record of 12 first-class noughts in a row (seven of them not out).

For the 1991 season he moved to Yorkshire, he scored a boundary from the first ball (in an innings of 8), he faced on his debut versus Middlesex at Lord's.

In 1992 he claimed 50 first-class victims at 22.68, taking five wickets in an innings three times, though he had a poor year in the limited-overs game.

His first year with his new county proved to be Robinson's best ever with the bat as he passed a hundred runs for the season for the first (and only) time, thanks in part to a game against Lancashire in which he made 27 (the best of his career) and 17, albeit in a losing cause as Sussex were thrashed by an innings.

In October 2005, Robinson became professional cricket manager at Sussex, replacing Peter Moores who left to succeed Rod Marsh as director of the ECB National Academy.