Ace Umeed withstands Anderson assault for terrific ton
YOUNG opening batsman Andrew Umeed kept Warwickshire from further batting ruin with a marathon century against in-form Lancashire in the Specsavers County Championship at Edgbaston.
In reply to Lancashire’s 273, the home side reached 259 for seven by the close of the second day thanks largely to Umeed’s unbeaten 103 from 339 balls with six fours.
Against a Lancashire seam attack which bowled with impressive control all day, Umeed’s concentration was unwavering. The 21-year-old batted throughout the day, at the end of which his innings had lasted 434 minutes.
While partners came and went, Umeed dealt capably with the novel challenges of pink ball, day/night championship cricket, perhaps assisted by having played in last year’s trial 2nd XI game in those conditions against Worcestershire at Edgbaston – when he made 45 from 158 balls.
For a Warwickshire side with four innings defeats in six games this season, such stickability was priceless – though Lancashire’s bowlers, led by a big shift from James Anderson, kept their opponents under pressure all day.
After Warwickshire resumed in the morning on 23 for one, Umeed and Jonathan Trott took their stand to 74 in 29 overs before the latter fell lbw to a Jordan Clark delivery that stayed low. Clark then produced a superb ball to have Ian Bell caught behind for a fourth-ball duck.
Anderson removed Sam Hain for ten with a sharp return catch before Tim Ambrose, having batted positively for 19, attacked a wide ball from Clark and edged to Dane Vilas at first slip. Anderson almost removed Umeed on 49 when the batsman edged but neither wicketkeeper nor first slip could make the catch and the ball squirted between them to raise the batsman’s half-century.
Rikki Clarke (26 in 104 balls) got stuck in alongside Umeed to grind out 49 in 30 overs but then Tom Bailey removed Clarke (bowled) and Keith Barker (lbw) with successive balls.
That left Warwickshire uneasily perched on 184 for seven and Lancashire eyeing a useful lead but Umeed and Jeetan Patel (36 not out, 59 balls) added an unbroken 75 up to the close. The admirable Umeed left the field, still unbowed, to a standing ovation and also grudging respect from the travelling Lancashire supporters.
Umeed said afterwards: “I’m very pleased. They were tricky conditions with the lights coming on early and the pink ball and up against Jimmy Anderson who is probably the best bowler of all time.
“It was surreal playing against him in the middle really after I have grown up watching him play for England. It was a good battle – even though he was giving me a few words of “encouragement” now and then!
“The way we have played recently we have been in tricky situations and we have talked about the need to front up and show that fight out there so I really wanted to lead from the front. Thankfully I did that today for the boys. I’m just happy to make a contribution to the team.
“The runs were hard-earned but sometimes you have to do that. I faced a lot of balls and felt like I was going nowhere for a period of time but credit to the team, they gave me encouragement all the time, the people batting with me and then at lunch telling me to keep going.”
Warwickshire have signed Yorkshire all-rounder and former England Under 19s captain Will Rhodes on a two-year contract, starting at the end of the current playing season.
Rhodes, 22, has played 19 First Class games and was part of Yorkshire’s County Championship-win- ning team in 2015. And in 2014 he captained England to third place in the Under 19s World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
Bears chief Ashley Giles said: “Will is a genuine all-rounder and very exciting cricketer, who has the versatility to bat anywhere from one to seven in the batting order whilst also being a strong addition to our seam bowling attack.
“He is a great character with leadership experience, as a former captain of England U19s and Yorkshire Academy. At 22 he has a good future ahead of him and we are delighted to welcome him to Warwickshire.”
Rhodes added: “I’m very excited to sign for Warwickshire for the next two years and to take this next step in my career with a club that has also has such a proud history and outstanding facilities. I’ve had some great discussions with Ashley Giles and the coaching team at Edgbaston and I look forward to joining up with the squad very soon.”