Kartik spins Warwickshire to defeat

Somerset 268 and 183 beat Warwickshire 140 and 130 by 181 runs
Scorecard

The contrast could hardly have been more stark. On the 16th anniversary of Brian Lara's unbeaten 501 at Edgbaston, Warwickshire's batting failed once again, highlighting the painful difference between then and now.

Warwickshire lost nine wickets for just 70 runs as Somerset completed victory by 181 runs on the third day. It's Somerset's third win in succession and lifts them to third in the championship table. It's also the first time they've beaten Warwickshire home and away in a championship season since 1981.

Set a highly improbable 312 to win, Murali Kartik ran through the host's batting with alarming ease to claim the fourth ten-wicket haul of his first-class career. His figures - 11 for 72 in the match and 17 for 133 in his last three innings - speak volumes not just about his skill, but about the opposition's frailties. All have been against Warwickshire.

The days of Lara seem long ago at Edgbaston. As a team, Warwickshire haven't managed to score 501 yet this season. Indeed, they've not made more than 382 and have now lost five of their eight games and have fewer batting bonus points than any team in either division.

Taken out of context, it would be easy to conclude that this game simply sustained their poor form with the bat. No doubt there's more than a grain of truth in that. But, bearing in mind the treacherous nature of this pitch, it may be wise not to jump to too many conclusions. As Marcus Trescothick pointed out after the game: "The pitch was a minefield, even on the first day. 268 was a brilliant score."

In truth, batting was little more than a lottery by the end of the game. One delivery from Kartik turned and bounced so sharply that it was taken by first slip, jumping far above his head. Not even Lara could have played it. In such conditions, neither of Warwickshire's lowly totals are quite as awful as they seem and winning the toss was disproportionately important.

Still, the lengthy team meeting that followed the game betrayed the concern that Warwickshire now feel. They started 2010 with high hopes of success, but have had to face the reality that it is matters at the other end of the table that will be the focus of their attention for the rest of the season.

"I've given them a jolly good talking to," Warwickshire's director of cricket, Ashley Giles said afterwards. "What we've done so far isn't good enough. We've got to play better if we're going to stay up. In the end it comes down to personal responsibility."

Warwickshire's opening partnerships have been a recurring problem. 12 of the 16 first-wicket stands have failed to progress beyond single figures and the accumulated value of every opening partnership this season amounts to just 200 runs; an average of just 12.5 a time. So it was little surprise when Darren Maddy fell early, drawn into feeling for one on off-stump from the outstandingly accurate and, at times, hostile Charl Willoughby.

Only Varun Chopra and, to a lesser extent, Ian Westwood showed the requisite technique and desire to survive on this pitch. Chopra has not endured an easy start to life at Edgbaston - this was his highest score in 10 first-class innings - but here he showed he is worth perseverance with some watchful defence and judicious attack. As an 18-year-old, he became the youngest man to score a championship century for Essex and now, aged 22, still has time to fulfil his talent.

Perhaps both men were unlucky with their dismissals. Chopra looked to have been struck well outside the line, while Westwood felt strongly that he hadn't edged to the keeper. He'll be very fortunate if he escapes a dissent charge for his subsequent reaction.

Their colleagues showed far less fight. The wicket of Westwood precipitated another collapse and, after a lengthy rain break threatened to stretch the match to a fourth day, their last four wickets fell in the space of 27 balls.

Troughton meekly turned one to leg-slip, Clarke missed an arm-ball and Botha edged a sharply-turning delivery to short-leg. On the resumption Woakes was beaten by turn, Johnson by bounce and the last two slogged catches to the fielders in the ring.

Earlier Ben Phillips and Kartik extended their overnight partnership to 56. Phillips, bringing up an excellent half-century with an enormous pulled six off Clarke that sailed over the Hollies Stand, helped add a further 32 runs on the final day. It not just took the game beyond Warwickshire - realistically that had happened much earlier in the match - but robbed them of every last vestige of hope and spirit.

Where do Warwickshire go from here? To the second division, probably. Their batting is currently underperfomring so badly that it will take a major reversal of fortune to save them from relegation.

As for Somerset, they look to have a well-balanced, united and settled team. Nottinghamshire may be the division one pacemakers, but a first championship title for Somerset cannot be discounted.