Bears draw comfort as downpour halts Pears
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 on Monday.
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 two (264 ahead) to 295 for three. Jake Libby advanced to 101 not out (182 balls), his 17th first class century, before another downpour proved terminal.
Warwickshire’s bowling attack, which will expect to be “better for the outing” when they face Durham at Edgbaston on Friday, secured just one more wicket when Olly HannonDalby 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 legside 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.
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.
Warwickshire coach Mark Robinson said: “We will be better for the outing, as they say. 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. With regard to Sam Hain, I don’t know if he will be available for the next game.”