Warwickshire County Cricket Club Head Coach, Ian Westwood, was proud of the application shown by his team as they remained in Rothesay County Championship Division One contention after drawing with Somerset in Taunton.
The Bears had moved into a commanding position through the first two and a half days at the Cooper Associates County Ground, however a 233-run partnership between Somerset’s Thomas Rew and Craig Overton halted their chances.
Chasing 313 and needing to score more than five runs per over on the last day, Warwickshire batted through the final two sessions before rain saw play abandoned with the Bears on 98 for two.
“Sometimes you have to credit the opposition,” Westwood said. “The young lad Tom Rew batted extremely maturely, and Craig Overton has played that way a couple of times already this season. They didn’t really give us a chance.
“With a bit more time, we might have chased the target today and it would have been a good game because they would have fancied their chances too.
“But five and a half an over from the outset was too much, given that they could bowl into the rough, so I was really happy with the way we navigated towards a solid draw.”
Warwickshire, who took 13 points from the game, climb to third place in the Division One table, level on points with Somerset who sit second and only five points behind leaders and defending champions Nottinghamshire.
With the Vitality Blast and The Hundred taking place throughout July and early August, the Rothesay County Championship will resume at the end of August, and Westwood is pleased that his team will be in contention for a first title in five years when the competition returns.
“We would have liked the win because it would have put us top of the table and we were probably one wicket away from securing a victory in their second innings,” he added.
“Lots of teams will fancy their chances when County Championship cricket resumes and we are certainly right in the mix.”
Warwickshire Bears now turn their attention back to the Vitality Blast, as they entertain local-rivals Worcestershire on Friday 26 June at Edgbaston Stadium.