Somerset, Warwickshire share spoils on tense day to take relegation battle to the wire
Hain, Sibley, Davies fifties help guide rearguard at Edgbaston
ECB Reporters Network
15-Sep-2022
Sam Hain's half-century settled Warwickshire's nerves • Getty Images
Somerset 219 and 340 for 7 dec (Bartlett 111, Abell 87, Goldsworthy 44) drew with Warwickshire 196 and 256 for 6 (Davies 58, Sibley 54, Hain 52)
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 slug-out between Somerset, Kent and Warwickshire over the last two games to avoid accompanying Gloucestershire down to Division Two.
Somerset resumed on the final morning on 277 for four, already 300 ahead, and added 63 in 12 overs before the declaration. Lewis Goldsworthy (44, 104 balls) was bowled by Henry Brookes in the first over but James Rew made a breezy 22 and Bartlett reached a patient 233-ball ton with a cut boundary off Jayant Yadav before missing a down-the-track attempt to carve Danny Briggs over the covers.
Warwickshire's second innings started crisply against the seamers with 30 coming from six overs but was damaged as soon as Somerset turned to spin. Rob Yates played back to Sajid Khan's sixth ball and fell lbw.
It was an isolated threat from Khan, however, as any turn was very slow and Sibley and Davies were little troubled in a stand of 95 in 29 overs until both perished to loose, lofted shots in successive overs from Kasey Aldridge. Sibley failed to control a pull and was caught on the mid-wicket boundary and Davies chipped to mid on.
Hain and Rhodes (44, 61 balls) kept the board ticking over with a stand of 88 in 20 overs to stir hopes of a Bears victory charge, but those hopes folded when Jack Brooks bowled Rhodes and trapped Michael Burgess lbw with successive balls,
It was Somerset sensing a late charge when Yadav was spectacularly run out by Khan's direct hit from deep mid-wicket, but Hain and Danny Briggs (17 not out, 46 balls) stood firm through the last 12 overs.
