Bears held to another draw – but top 3 are ton-derful!
ROB Yates’ unbeaten 84 made sure all of Warwickshire’s top three average over 100 after the first three Vitality County Championship fixtures but it could not prevent an inevitable draw with Hampshire.
Yates, opening partner Alex Davies and number three Will Rhodes are among the top four run-scorers in Division One so far this season with averages of 123, 120 and 116 respectively.
All three attempted to up the runrate in a bid to force a result at the Utilita Bowl but, eventually, rain won the day and the points were shared.
The Bears pick up 13 points to Hampshire’s ten – with neither side yet to win nor lose a game.
Warwickshire coach Mark Robinson said: “The boys were determined to bat positively and get into a position where we could put them under some pressure, but the weather hasn’t allowed that to happen.
“The game meandered yesterday in a first session which went nowhere. That kind of helped us as it put them under a lot of pressure when they realised that they were going to be short of bonus points, and we cashed in.
“We’ve done our best to try and force a victory but the weather hasn’t allowed us to capitalise.
“The bowlers are dying for [a more competitive pitch]. They have done some heavy duty in the dirt. We want to get back to a ball that will swing and a surface that the ball will go through on and the edges will carry.
“[The top three all averaging 100] is fantastic and great for their confidence and how they have played. Yatesy has expanded his game a little bit and played with more aggression. He has been more on the front foot, played expansively and attractively. He is in a good place as a cricket; catching well, his bowling and scoring runs.
“For Davo as captain it is big to take some pressure off with some runs. With Will looks like the captaincy off his shoulders has allowed him to play with freedom and confidence.
“We know we will be tested more with the Dukes ball and on wickets with more carry.
“There are some challenges to come but we have played some good cricket in the last two matches and driven games which we can take forward.”
The visitors began the day with a 136-run lead and Davies added two to his tally before advancing to Mohammad Abbas and skewing to short third to end a 56-run opening stand. He now has 481 runs this season and sits top of the charts.
Yates was tasked to keep the scoreboard ticking, while the proper aggression came from the other end, with Rhodes, Ed Barnard and Dan Mousley not needing a second invitation to attack.
Boundaries remained tricky to score but Warwickshire impressed with their running between the wickets, which added runs consistently at over four an over.
Rhodes is up to 348 runs in the Championship but his 25 off 39 was ended when he was leg-before to a delivery which turned from Liam Dawson.
The Yates and Rhodes alliance had
brought 46 runs and the former continued with Barnard in a 54-run stand, picking up his half-century in 84 balls with a delicious cut to the boundary.
Barnard fell for a 17-ball 18 when he skied Dawson, with the left-arm spinner settling underneath it himself. Mousley picked out mid-on after a quickfire 14 before drizzle saw play stopped at 2pm. It proved terminal.