Warwickshire rained off in the sunshine

To the bemusement of the spectators, sitting in sunshine which had bathed the ground since dawn, play was called off for the final day – and the match abandoned – just after lunch when the umpires ruled that areas of the field remained unsafe.

That scuppered any hopes those spectators had of some entertainment on their last visit to Edgbaston until April 2024. Somerset’s second innings remains forever frozen on 90 for two and a match which had been dogged by bad weather throughout was finally laid to rest – ironically in sparkling weather.

Warwickshire coach Mark Robinson said: “It is very frustrating. Sometimes it just doesn’t look right does it? We have had three days of play in grey, heavy, overcast clouds and then we have got bright sunshine and we are not able to get out there.

“It wasn’t for the want of trying. Gary, our groundsman, was in at the ground at six o’clock this morning doing everything he could to get the game on. We were willing – we have had a mantra all year to try and be as aggressive and positive as possible, and to try to chase and seek a win as much as we can, and that was around all our conversations this morning.

“But the umpires saw the conditions as not fit and there is nothing else we can do.”