WARWICKSHIRE Head Coach Ian Westwood praised his team’s character after they secured a draw in their Rothesay County Championship match with Somerset at Edgbaston.
Sam Hain and Tom Latham again both hit half-centuries to keep the visitors at bay – that was after Australian off-spinner Corey Rocchoccioli took a debut five wickets for 67.
Chasing an unlikely victory target of 377 in 69 overs, the Bears played their way to 161 for four as Latham (52 from 103 balls) and Hain (68 not out, 157) steered their team to safety – and the match to a stalemate.
Somerset had extended their second innings in the morning to 229 for eight (James Rew 61, 81) but not as quickly as they hoped.
It had always appeared that the pitch would blunt the victory aspirations of either side, and so it proved. Both shored up their positions in the middle of Division One with a solid points haul.
Westwood told the club’s official website: “We’re pleased with the draw. It was quite a big toss to lose, and they piled on quite a big score, but we showed a lot of character to fight back from that.
“It’s not what we want to do, be holding out for draws, we want to be pushing to win games.
“But I’m proud of the effort from the guys over the last four days. Games have been coming thick and fast, and there are a few tired bodies in the dressing room.
“We bowled really well to slow the scoring down, which made our batters’ job a little bit easier later on. We did it solidly with the bat, and Sam Hain again showed how good he is.
“He always wants to be there and stand up in that sort of situation. His determination and concentration are really impressive and a huge credit to him.
“Corey did very well on his debut. We felt that we needed some support during this period.
“He has had a great couple of years in the Sheffield Shield and gets a really nice shape on the ball. It was great to see him get a five-for and we are looking forward to seeing what he can do in the rest of his time with us.”
Somerset resumed on the final morning on 116 for three, 283 ahead overall, and started purposefully. Rew completed a 66-ball half-century, but two wickets for Rocchoccioli slowed the momentum and changed the plan.
The spinner unfurled a lovely turning delivery, which Rew edged to wicketkeeper Kai Smith. Tom Banton missed a sweep and was lbw.
Bowling coach Steve Kirby had suggested after day three that Somerset would need 80 overs to try to bowl Warwickshire out, but that point arrived with the lead only 317. That would have been a very attractive target on a pitch still good for batting.
Tom Abell (42, 63) and Archie Vaughan (38 not out, 59) batted watchfully to prevent a collapse, then expanded to add 65 in 14 overs before Abell charged and missed at Rocchoccioli.
Pretorious had his off-stump rendered askew by Ethan Bamber, and Rocchoccioli’s five-for was complete when Craig Overton missed a reverse sweep and was lbw, triggering lunch and the declaration.
To challenge the target of 377 in two sessions, Warwickshire needed a strong platform, but they soon lost both openers. Alex Davies fell to the fourth ball, lbw, trapped in the crease by Matt Henry. Rob Yates left a gap between bat and pad, and Jack Leach, who opened the bowling, turned the ball through it.
That scuppered any chance of a Warwickshire win. Somerset’s hopes were ground away over the next two hours by Latham and Hain. There are few batters better-equipped than those to steer a side to safety, and they duly quietened the excited fielding side with resolute, solid and watchful work.
They declined to pursue a target of 276 from 34 overs after tea. Latham drove a return catch to Overton and Jacob Bethell top-edged a pull at Pretorius but the implacable Hain reached 50 for the 58th time in first-class cricket to see the job through.
