Super Sib Dominates at crease as Bears fight back
DOM Sibley posted his second LV= Insurance County Championship century of the campaign as Warwickshire frustrated Northamptonshire’s hopes of pushing for victory at Wantage Road.
Sibley’s patient knock of 102 was backed up by a belligerent 77 from 80 balls by Michael Burgess, ensuring the visitors passed the follow-on target and closed on 396 for eight, just 55 behind.
Nathan Mcandrew struck his maiden Bears half-century, an undefeated 54 prior to stumps, while Northamptonshire seamer Jack White ended the day with figures of four for 62.
However, it looks unlikely either of the sides – who have registered just one Championship win between them so far this season – can find a way of increasing that tally on day four.
Although Ben Sanderson found some early movement when Warwickshire resumed at 71 for one, the home side soon turned to spin in the form of Simon Kerrigan.
That move paid off immediately, with the left-armer’s third ball of the morning tempting Chris Benjamin to drive high into the hands of mid-off.
Will Rhodes joined Sibley, who continued to advance at a snail’s pace – the opener’s stay at the crease approaching four hours when he reached his half-century – but the pair gradually began to open up, with Rhodes coming down the track to thump Kerrigan over midwicket for the first six of the match.
However, Warwickshire were pegged back again by Josh Cobb’s pre-lunch spell of three overs for two runs – plus the wicket of Rhodes for 42, smartly caught by the diving Rob Keogh at mid-on.
Northamptonshire persevered with an all-spin attack following the interval, but Sibley dealt with that efficiently as he brought up his 17th first-class hundred, from 260 balls.
It was seam – and the new ball – that eventually did the trick when White returned to have Sibley caught behind and then removed Jacob Bethell, with Emilio Gay initially parrying the ball at second slip before recovering to dart forward and scoop it up just above the turf.
With Warwickshire retreating into their collective shell again, Matt Lamb survived two close calls to reach 37, squirting White just short of mid-on before edging Tom Taylor through the hands of Ryan Rickelton
The main objective was to avoid the follow-on and make sure we didn’t give them a chance. We got past that target. Nathan Mcandrew
at first slip. Taylor got his man on the stroke of tea, though, taken behind off the outside edge to leave the Bears six down and still requiring 44 to avoid the follow-on.
But any concerns were swiftly dispelled by Burgess, who thumped a trio of boundaries off Kerrigan and confidently swept him to the fence again to reduce the deficit below 150 as he and Mcandrew added 88 for the seventh wicket.
Burgess looked comfortably on course for a hundred but, having pulled White for four, he attempted to
repeat the stroke next ball and topedged to cover instead.
Mcandrew said: “After the first innings, when we didn’t bowl too well, we were pretty far behind the game, but I thought Dom Sibley batted beautifully up top and then Michael Burgess as well.
“Michael’s a really attacking player and I like to go for my shots as well, so we were going to have a bit of intent and on wickets like that you have to.
“The main objective was to avoid the follow-on and make sure we didn’t give them a chance. We got past that target, which was crucial, getting to a position where it’s probably going to be a draw not a loss.”