flinched to the gully and Warwickshire are champions! Pushed onto the back foot, fenced with an open face, a flying edge to the skipper Rhodes, and the celebrations begin! Huge glee from the fielders, before Bresnan breaks off to shake hands with the Somerset batters, and the rest of the team follow. Victory by 127 runs, and thoroughly deserved!
Warwickshire vs Somerset, Division 1 at Birmingham,County, Sep 21 2021 - Match Result
4.36pm So that's the end of that. Reaction to follow from George Dobell. Thanks for joining us, from Miller and Matt, goodbye!
4.27pm Out come the rest of the Somerset squad, to shake hands on the outfield. And there's a punch of the fist from Woakes towards the Warwickshire faithful in the stands. Quite the comeback from the Bears, after their rather abject relegation a couple of seasons ago. They've overcome a changing of the guard, including the retirement of their club legend Ian Bell, and the impact of England call-ups for Sibley and Woakes. It's an eighth Championship title, and their first since 2012. And they'll be dancing on Broad Street tonight.
Fitting, too, that the innings that made this achievement possible today was that of the young prospect Rob Yates, who looks every inch an England opener in the making. A multi-faceted performer, he showed some T20 flourish in his acceleration today.
on the back foot, nudged to the leg side
full length, Brooks has a front-foot wipe, no contact
thumps the pad, angled into the batter, can't connect on the leg-glance
beaten! Stuck in the crease, lift off the deck, so close to the edge!
on the legs, flicked to backward square
flicked in the air, off the pad, Miles thunders through but can't reach it
full and wide, and Brooks launches into a square drive! Well why not. In the slot, and boshed
full and pushed to mid-off
short, wide, a wide swipe, a thin nick! A massive take from Burgess! Leaping high to intercept, and now it's Match Point, Warwickshire! Gregory was lured once too often, and the Bears are rampant!
Briggs may be limbering up... some talk of a neck problem...
tight line on off stump, firm defence to cover
through to the keeper, no stroke offered
Big Bill, Bursl: "Hoping that this pair stick around and the tension builds - Gregory v Woakes is the ultimate battle of the 'nice bloke who can kind of do everything' cricketer. Also as a Notts fan - go Somerset!"
edged, but inches short of the tumbling second slip! Excitement abounds... but it's not quite the moment
another boundary! Less convincing but they all count. Leaning forward, opening the face, picking off the runs through third man
sublime drive! Clattered through the covers, extending the forearms through the stroke, holding the pose for the cameras
drags the bat inside the line, played it well in the end
solid in defence once more
into line, pushed to the off-side
leg-sided again, Gregory flings into a clip but misses. He looks in the mood to go for these runs. Well, I guess there's time...
lifting past the off stump
Edgbaston, Birmingham | |
Toss | Somerset, elected to field first |
Series | |
Season | 2021 |
Series result | Warwickshire won the 2021 County Championship |
Match days | 21,22,23,24 September 2021 - day (4-day match) |
Umpires | |
Match Referee | |
Points | Warwickshire 22, Somerset 6 |