WARWICKSHIRE first team coach Ian Westwood says the Bears players ‘did not do much wrong’ after their 89-run defeat to Hampshire at Edgbaston.
A fourth innings chase of over 300 proved too much as Warwickshire suffered their first defeat of the season.
Set a target of 310, Warwickshire were all out for 220, unpicked by seamers James Fuller (five for 56) and Kyle Abbott (three for 44 – eight for 91 in the match).
Alex Davies (66, from 106 balls) and Ethan Bamber (43, 78) offered some resistance, but the Bears’ top order was undone by pace, movement and bounce.
Hampshire’s second innings had closed in the morning on 203. Beau Webster took four for 57 and Bamber four for 60 but the match was decided by the visitors out-bowling their hosts on a pitch which offered encouragement to seamers throughout.
Westwood told Warwickshire’s official website: “I can’t fault the lads. The effort these boys are putting in is not in question. It’s disappointing to lose any game of cricket. We played some really good cricket at times but we can look back at moments on the first two days that left us too much to do at the back end. To even have a chance of winning after conceding that first innings deficit was credit to the lads.
“We really believed we were going to chase that down today, but the way they bowled and utilised the conditions, full credit to them. They put us under a lot of pressure with the ball and were just too good. It was a good cricket wicket and they bowled really well and kept finding movement and with a bit of inconsistent bounce that made it tricky. The top order in particular got some really good balls. They didn’t really do much wrong.
“We haven’t got carried away with the good start to the season and we know there are a lot of good teams in this division. We’re growing as a group and we knew this was going to be another tough game. We have to dust ourselves off and will look forward to going to New Road on Friday. Rushworth and Woakes are getting closer to fitness so I’ll have to speak to the physios and find out who’s available before making the call.”
After Hampshire resumed on 159 for six, already 275 ahead, Bamber quickly struck twice when Brad Wheal edged to second slip and Fuller’s middle-stump was sent flying by an inside-edged slog. Abbott pulled Bamber for six in a handy run-a-ball stand of 32 with Toby Albert (43, 85) before Webster had Albert and John Turner caught behind in three balls.
A target of 310 offered an intriguing last chapter to an engrossing match and Warwickshire’s chase began spectacularly. They were 10 for two after three overs after Abbott hit Rob Yates’ off stump, Davies struck his first two balls for four and Tom Latham edged Abbott to wicketkeeper Ben Brown.
Unfazed by the rocky start, Davies and Sam Hain added 68 in 24 overs. Hain looked in excellent form on his way to 30 (53) but his season’s story so far of getting in then getting out continued when he offered no shot to an Abbott in-ducker and was lbw.
Davies reached a 66-ball half-century but was among the casualties as Fuller unleashed a ferocious spell from the Pavilion End, ripping out three for three in 12 balls. Webster and Davies were trapped in front by balls that kept low, either side of Ed Barnard tickling an outswinger to the keeper.
At 126 for six, Warwickshire needed something special from their lower order on a pitch which had yielded just one half-century in each innings. It was understandably beyond them.
Zen Malik hoisted Turner to fine leg. Bamber and Che Simmons fought hard to add 43 in 17 overs before Fuller returned to complete his five-for by removing both. Bamber edged behind, Simmons lofted to long leg and Turner flattened Olly Hannon-Dalby’s off-stump.
