Dom-inant opener carries bat for a Bears double ton
DOMINIC Sibley delivered another timely reminder that he may be the man that England should turn to for their overseas Test match engagements this winter.
The 24-year old Warwickshire opener, who had already passed 1,000 runs in the Specsavers County Championship prior to this match, carried his bat with a chanceless knock of 215 not out as the visitors turned this contest around.
Responding to the home side’s first innings score of 498, the Bears replied with 488 of their own and then put Notts under pressure in the final session.
Already condemned to relegation, Notts had high hopes of being able to force their first win of the campaign but they ended the day on 105 with half of their side back in the pavilion.
Joe Clarke remains of the recognised top order batsmen, unbeaten on 59.
Earlier, Sibley was at the crease for six and half hours and faced 420 balls. His unbeaten effort was the first time a Warwickshire opener had carried his bat against Notts since Michael Powell in 1998.
Resuming from their overnight score of 264 for two, the visitors lost two wickets to the second new ball.
Luke Fletcher made the breakthrough, having Sam Hain caught at cover by Joey Evison for 76.
Hain had helped Sibley add 160 for the third-wicket before being undone by the fourth delivery with the new cherry. Three overs later 21-year old Jack Blatherwick, on debut, picked up his maiden first-class wicket by toppling the off-stump of Matt Lamb out of the ground.
Liam Banks played positively, making 41 from only 38 balls, before nicking Paul Coughlin behind, where Clarke, standing-in for Ben Duckett as wicketkeeper, took the catch.
Duckett remained inside the dressing room throughout the Warwickshire innings, icing a badly-bruised hand in an effort to regain full fitness ahead of Vitality Blast Finals Day commitments at the weekend.
Captain Steven Mullaney, who hasn’t bowled for three months after a knee injury, picked up his four wickets on his return to bowling duties.
Michael Burgess, who reached 31 and added 76 with Sibley, was bowled, with Henry Brookes then lofting the home skipper to mid-off for eight.
Jeetan Patel and Oliver HannonDalby both departed for single figure scores, before Ravi Ashwin ended the innings with George Garrett’s wicket.
Mullaney, who made 179 on the first day, nicked Hannon-Dalby to slip for two and then same bowler dismissed Chris Nash lbw.
The lead was only 56 when Ben Compton was given out caught behind off Patel, having completed his first-class debut with scores of 14 and 13. Duckett’s innings was shortlived and ill-judged as he shouldered arms to Garrett and lost his off stump. Hannon-Dalby was brought back for the dying embers of the day and bowled 17-year-old Joey Evison. Clarke reached a second innings 50 and will resume this morning alongside Paul Coughlin, with a lead of 115.