Report: Warwickshire vs Somerset, Rothesay County Championship

Day Four

Sam Hain and Tom Latham both hit half-centuries to repel Somerset and gain a draw for Warwickshire at Edgbaston in the Rothesay County Championship.

Set a notional victory target of 377 in 69 overs, Warwickshire played their way to 161 for four as Latham (52 from 103 balls) and Hain (68 not out, 157) escorted their team to safety and the match to a stalemate.

Somerset had extended their second innings in the morning to 229 for eight (James Rew 61, 81) but not as quickly as they hoped due to interference from Australian off-spinner Corey Rocchoccioli, who took a debut five wickets for 67.

It had always appeared that the pitch would blunt the victory aspirations of either side, and so it proved. Both shored up their positions in the middle of Division One with a solid points haul.

Somerset resumed on the final morning on 116 for three, 283 ahead overall, and started purposefully. Rew completed a 66-ball half-century, but two wickets for Rocchoccioli slowed the momentum and changed the plan. The spinner unfurled a lovely turning delivery, which Rew edged to wicketkeeper Kai Smith. Tom Banton missed a sweep and was lbw.

Bowling coach Steve Kirby had suggested after day three that Somerset would need 80 overs to try to bowl Warwickshire out, but that point arrived with the lead only 317. That would have been a very attractive target on a pitch still good for batting. 

Tom Abell (42, 63) and Archie Vaughan (38 not out, 59) batted watchfully to prevent a collapse, then expanded to add 65 in 14 overs before Abell charged and missed at Rocchoccioli. Pretorious had his off-stump rendered askew by Ethan Bamber, and Rocchoccioli’s five-for was complete when Craig Overton missed a reverse sweep and was lbw, triggering lunch and the declaration.

To challenge the target of 377 in two sessions, Warwickshire needed a strong platform, but they soon lost both openers. Alex Davies fell to the fourth ball, lbw, trapped in the crease by Matt Henry. Rob Yates left a gap between bat and pad, and Jack Leach, who opened the bowling, turned the ball through it. 

That scuppered any chance of a Warwickshire win. Somerset’s hopes were ground away over the next two hours by Latham and Hain. There are few batters better-equipped than those to steer a side to safety, and they duly quietened the excited fielding side with resolute, solid and watchful work.

They declined to pursue a target of 276 from 34 overs after tea. Latham drove a return catch to Overton and Jacob Bethell top-edged a pull at Pretorius but the implacable Hain reached 50 for the 58^th time in first-class cricket to see the job through.

Warwickshire head coach Ian Westwood said, “We are pleased with the draw. It was quite a big toss to lose, and they piled on quite a big score, but we showed a lot of character to fight back from that. It is not what we want to do, be holding out for draws, we want to be pushing to win games, but I am proud of the effort from the guys over the last four days. Games have been coming thick and fast, and there are a few tired bodies in the dressing room. 

“We bowled really well this morning to slow the scoring down, which made our batters’ job a little bit easier later on. We did it solidly with the bat, and Sam Hain again showed how good he is. He always wants to be there and stand up in that sort of situation. His determination and concentration are really impressive and a huge credit to him.

“Corey did very well on his debut. We felt that we needed some support during this period. He has had a great couple of years in the Sheffield Shield and gets a really nice shape on the ball. It was great to see him get a five-for and we are looking forward to seeing what he can do in the rest of his time with us.” 

Day Three

Sam Hain scored 78 to help Warwickshire avoid the follow-on against Somerset in their Rothesay County Championship match at Edgbaston.

In reply to 498, Warwickshire were bowled out for 351, achieving the 349 follow-on figure with two wickets to spare. Alex Davies hit 78 (186 balls), Sam Hain 78 (170) and Tom Latham 65 (158), but on a very good batting pitch, nobody else reached 30 against a Somerset attack which kept the pressure high, led by skipper Craig Overton (four for 61).

Somerset closed the third day on 116 for three, 263 ahead overall, a commanding position but unlikely to be a winning one on a batter-friendly pitch which is not deteriorating.

Somerset’s seamers opened up superbly after Warwickshire resumed on the third morning on 158 for one. Matt Henry bottled up fellow Kiwi Latham with a sequence of maidens before Latham drove at one that nipped away and edged to wicketkeeper James Rew. Five overs and six runs later, Davies perished when he edged Overton to slip, where Tom Kohler-Cadmore took a fine catch, low to his right. 

Jacob Bethell batted solidly until the stroke of lunch when he bottom-edged a pull at Overton to Rew. The wicketkeeper collected again shortly after the interval when Ed Barnard edged an uncharacteristic drive at Overton.

As Warwickshire progressed to 235 for five, Somerset had all the more reason to regret their recklessness with the bat on the second afternoon. A follow-on figure of 550 would have put the home side under pressure, but 349 was within reach.

Kai Smith and an increasingly expansive Hain added 66, Hain passing 50 from 133 balls and celebrating with two straight sixes in an over from Jack Leach. Smith supplied Rew’s fifth catch with a leg-side tickle off Overton and when, in the final over before tea, Hain edged Leach to slip, Warwickshire were still 32 short of the follow on figure with three wickets left.

Corey Rocchiccioli responded aggressively with 28 from 31 balls but pulled Migael Pretorius to long leg with ten still required. Tense moments followed for the home side until Ethan Bamber reverse-swept Leach for four to avert the follow on. Bamber and Che Simmons both soon fell playing the forward defensive, Simmons bowled by Archie Vaughan and Bamber lbw to Leach. 

Somerset’s second innings started with a couple of jolts when both openers fell in the first eight overs. Kohler-Cadmore lifted Bamber to mid off, and Josh Davey’s off-stump paid a high price for his decision to play back to Olly Hannon-Dalby.

Tom Lammonby and James Rew added 83 before the former (33, 46) lifted Rocchiccioli to mid-wicket to squander the opportunity of reaching a third century in successive championship innings tomorrow.

Warwickshire batter Tom Latham said: “We had made a solid start the previous day, and it would have been good to build on that, but you have to give credit to them, they bowled really nicely. All the seamers, along with Leach, were very disciplined. They kept us under pressure and stopped us from building partnerships.

“They are in a strong position, but we are still very much in the game and will turn up tomorrow with the belief that we can win the game. We will look at how they were bowled and the pressure they applied, and try to do something similar. 

“We’ll just take it session by session and see where it goes, but there is a little bit of turn out of the footmarks now, so we’ll see if our spinners can come into the game.” 

Day Two

Warwickshire’s Alex Davies and Tom Latham take advantage of careless batting from Somerset on the second day of their Rothesay County Championship clash at Edgbaston.

On a pitch which is excellent for batting, Somerset were 407 for three (Tom Lammonby 133, 196 balls) but collapsed to 498 all out – a total that insures against defeat but does not apply the major scoreboard pressure that beckoned.

Warwickshire closed the second day on 157 for one with Alex Davies (63 not out, 152) and Tom Latham (65 not out, 142) having added 125 in 43 overs. Both were reprieved as Davies, on 36, survived a high chance to Archie Vaughan at point and Latham, on 28, escaped a missed stumping by James Rew off Jack Leach.

On such a batter-friendly pitch, offering seamers nothing and spinners only very slight turn, near-flawless cricket is required to craft a victory. Somerset’s was that on the first day, but on the second, they relieved the pressure on the hosts, leaving the match heading towards a draw.

After Somerset resumed on the second morning on 327 for three and overnight pair Lammonby and Tom Abell (48, 103) took the total past 400, the platform was there for a mammoth total for Craig Overton’s side. Instead of showing the required ruthlessness, however, they succumbed to collective carelessness.

The collapse began when Abell, seeking to accelerate towards another batting point, hit Corey Rocchiccioli for three successive fours, then pulled a short ball to mid-wicket to supply the Australian’s first wicket for Warwickshire. Lammonby had batted beautifully to turn his ninth first-class century into a career-best, but chipped Ethan Bamber tamely to mid off.

Warwickshire’s part-time spinners Rob Yates and Jacob Bethell then shared the last five wickets in 15 overs. Tom Banton skied Bethell to mid off and Vaughan missed a sweep and was lbw to Yates, who quickly had Migael Pretorius caught at slip. Leach conjured up another way to get out when he reverse-swept Bethell to slip. When Matt Henry slogged Yates to long off, Somerset were left with 498 – a tall total but not the intimidating score which would have forced Warwickshire to bat very long even to avoid the follow-on.

Yates perished in infuriating fashion, caught down the leg side by Rew off Pretorius, but Davies and Latham reined in their attacking instincts to ensure it was an isolated early wicket.

Davies reached his half-century from 109 balls and Latham followed to his from 95. As the shadows lengthened, Somerset’s bowlers gave very little away, and so did the batters.

Warwickshire all-rounder Rob Yates said: “It turned out to be a decent day in the end. They batted nicely yesterday but we spoke this morning and said if we do the basics and earn the right to stay in the game, that’s all you can do, and we got our rewards. We fought back really well before and after lunch. We contained them well and fought hard.

“I was pleased to get some wickets. I have been working very hard on my bowling for a long time now so I feel that it has kicked on and hopefully I can fulfil my role in the team. 

“Then we had a steady start with the bat. I was really disappointed to get out the way I did, caught down the leg side, but Tommy and Davo steadied the ship. Hopefully they can take it on tomorrow, hour by hour and session by session and keep building.” 

Day One

The Bears worked tirelessly on a tough wicket as Somerset take the upper hand in the Rothesay County Championship at Edgbaston.

Somerset chose to bat on a pitch offering bowlers no help and closed the opening day on 327 for three. Opening pair Kohler-Cadmore, 104 from 138 balls, and Josh Davey, 64 from 121, added 186, and Tom Lammonby followed them with an unbeaten 75 (129).

It was a gruelling day in the field for a Warwickshire side without Chris Rushworth due to a tweaked hamstring, and including Australian spinner Cory Rocchiccioli, on his debut at the start of a short-term contract.

Somerset’s decision to bat proved fruitful, and their decision to promote Davey to open was also vindicated as he and Kohler-Cadmore eased to 100 in the 24^th over.

Kohler-Cadmore exploited the pitch to reach 50 from 67 balls and advance to 100 in 128, reaching three figures with his 16^th four, pulled off Che Simmons. The young seamer soon gained his revenge, however, when he removed both openers in six balls. 

Davey, a sixth first-class half-century banked and a career-best (75) beckoning, hoisted a short leg-side delivery to long leg. Kohler-Cadmore gloved a pull to wicketkeeper Kai Smith. Somerset’s record opening stand against Warwickshire, in peril while the batters chugged comfortably along, remains the 223 by Jimmy Cook and Peter Roebuck at Taunton in 1990.

Warwickshire had a glimmer of opportunity with two new batters at the crease, but Lammonby and James Rew played responsibly to reassert their side’s control with a stand of 68 in 26 overs. Rew (38, 81) departed livid at himself for lifting a wide, slower ball from Olly Hannon-Dalby to point, but Lammonby pulled Simmons for four to post a 93-ball half-century and, with Tom Abell, prevented further damage.

Warwickshire’s bowlers persevered nobly to keep the scoring slow in the last hour of what was a tough baptism on an unresponsive track for Rocchiccioli. He finished the day with none for 68, but bowled well enough and can take solace from the fact that fellow spinners Eric Hollies and Jeetan Patel also suffered on their Warwickshire debut at Edgbaston (one for 150 against Sussex in 1932 and Yorkshire in 2009 respectively) and they didn’t do too badly in the long run: 3,743 wickets.

Warwickshire bowler Olly Hannon-Dalby said, “It was tough work out there but we kept plugging away and tried to be creative and didn’t let them get away. Fair play to Somerset, they played well. They came out and played enterprisingly – Tom Kohler-Cadmore certainly did and Josh Davey played really well as well.

“It is a used pitch, the one we played T20s on the other night, so it’s a hybrid and the tradition with hybrids is they don’t deteriorate very much. I can’t really tell you whether the score reflects the Kookaburra ball or the hybrid pitch – but probably a combination of the two have made it pretty good for batting.

“Corey Rocchiccioli did really well on his debut. He has got a great record in Australian state cricket and bowled with a lot of control today and looked a serious threat to the left-handers