Libby tons up but weather denies Worcestershire victory shot

Warwickshire and Worcestershire launched their Vitality County Championship season with a draw after bad weather shunted a hitherto intriguing game up a cul-de-sac at Edgbaston.

Worcestershire were frustratingly denied a chance to press for victory on their return to Division One after a wet outfield prevented play before lunch on the final day. After the loss of the last session the previous day, that took too much time out of the match for Brett D'Oliveira's side to capitalise on the strong position they had built, largely through Kashif Ali's two superb centuries.

In the sliver of play that was possible on the final day, they took their overnight score from 237 for 2 - and lead of 264 - to 295 for 3. Jake Libby advanced to 101 not out, his 17th first class century, before another downpour proved terminal.

Warwickshire's bowling attack, which will expect to be "better for the outing", in the words of head coach Mark Robinson, secured just one more wicket when Olly Hannon-Dalby clutched an instinctive return catch from a straight drive by Rob Jones. There was little joy for the other bowlers and least of all for left-arm spinner Danny Briggs who was adjudged to have delivered seven leg-side wides.

With the match consigned to stalemate, Libby continued implacably to his ton while Adam Hose enjoyed some time in the middle of his former home ground, restraining his usual attacking game to collect an unbeaten 17 in over an hour.

If there was some frustration for Worcestershire at being denied an opportunity to record their first Championship win at Edgbaston since 1993, there was also plenty of room for satisfaction. They acquitted themselves extremely well on their return to Division One.

They were the better side with bat and ball. Kashif's first two first-class centuries - 110 and 133 - lit up a match largely conducted under an unbroken canopy of grey while overseas debutants Nathan Smith and Jason Holder offered promise in the seam attack.

"We played some really good cricket during the game," D'Oliveira said. "Kashif had a really special game and is a really special cricketer. I am excited by the journey ahead of him. Our overseas guys have fitted in really well. First and foremost, they are excellent characters who have slotted straight into the dressing room. Jason is brilliant for me as a captain to have to bounce ideas off. Nathan is a highly talented bowlers who has already showed what he can do in this match.

"Every we time we come up we are favourites to go down and we have been relegated a few times, so that's reasonable, but this year we aiming to us that as a strength and surprise a few people."

Worcestershire will travel to Trent Bridge to face Nottinghamshire on Friday with confidence high. Warwickshire, meanwhile, will aim to be much improved against Durham at Edgbaston after missing Sam Hain (personal reasons) and Liam Norwell (injury) at the heart of their bowling and batting during this match.

Robinson admitted that he did not know when either player would return. "We will be better for the outing, as they say. Gary [Barwell] and his groundstaff team did a great job to get a game on but conditions were difficult for the bowlers. I think all the bowlers struggled in the wind and with soft take-off points but Worcestershire's probably coped a little bit better than ours.

"We haven't been where we want to be during this match. Our prep was affected because we lost one player the day before the game and another one on the morning of the game, but we haven't bowled particularly well and it was a disappointing session with the bat where we lost five quick wickets to hand Worcestershire the initiative.

"Liam Norwell will not be available for a while. He has an injury which we are looking into to get a bit of clarity. The good news, if you can have good news about an injury, is that it is not the disc in his back that has been the problem in the past. With regard to Sam Hain, I don't know if he will be available for the next game. We will give him all the time and space he needs."