Warwickshire battle to draw as drop fears go on
Warwickshire and Somerset’s LV=Insurance County Championship relegation battle at Edgbaston ended in a hard-fought draw after neither side could find the firepower to force victory on a placid pitch.
After Somerset’s declaration at 340 for seven set a target of 364 in 82 overs, both sides scented victory at times as the pendulum swung in a tense last session before the home side closed on 256 for six.
The visitors’ decision to bat on 40 minutes into the final day enabled George Bartlett to reach his sixth first class century (111, 228 balls). Finding ten wickets on a flattening pitch was beyond their bowlers, however, as Sam Hain continued his excellent season with an unbeaten 52 (101 balls), supported by Alex Davies (58, 95) and Dom Sibley 54 (110).
The result only tightens up the relegation equation in Division One, setting up a three-way slugout between Somerset, Kent and Warwickshire over the last two games to avoid accompanying Gloucestershire down to Division Two.
Warwickshire first team coach Mark Robinson said: “Obviously Somerset are trying to keep us behind them so they didn’t really want to give us a chance and batted quite slowly and it was a bit stale-matey. Then eventually they declared and then it is about what we wanted to do then...and I love my team when they are in this mood because all the talk was about winning. They wanted to have a go for the target and we did.”
