Draw Keeps Warwickshire in County Championship Hunt

Warwickshire first-team coach Ian Westwood has reflected on another “solid” draw at Essex which has kept his side in the race for the Rothesay County Championship title.

With three games to go, the Bears sit fourth in the Division One table, 27 points behind leaders Surrey. The champions of the last three years are again strongly placed as the season approaches its run in but the Bears go to The Oval in their next four-day game and also still have to visit second-placed Nottinghamshire.

A flying finish to the season would keep Westwood’s side, who have lost just one of their 11 Championship games, right in the title mix.

“We are in a decent position with Surrey to come next and if we have a good result there, who knows?” the coach said. “It was another solid draw at Essex. There is a lot of fighting spirit and belief in the group and that showed against at Chelmsford. We would have liked to have been more ruthless in the field on the first day but then, replying to a big total, it was a really good effort.

“Ethan Bamber batted brilliantly for his maiden century, Ed Barnard played the sort of high class innings we have come to expect from him and Vaansh Jani came in for his debut and made a solid 40 at an important time.

“I am pretty happy with our championship season. We have had a few injuries to deal with and some young guys have stepped up really well. Zen Malik has come in and scored two centuries and Vaansh is the latest to come into the first team and look comfortable which is very encouraging.”

The Bears’ attention now turns for the rest of August to the Metro-Bank One-Day Cup, starting against Yorkshire at Scarborough on Tuesday. Their Championship campaign will resume with a huge game against Surrey at The Oval starting on September 8^th, followed by Essex at home (September 15^th) and finally Nottinghamshire away (September 24^th).

“We have been solid and had three very good wins chasing down targets in the fourth innings,” said Westwood. “We have been difficult to beat. What we need to do is start getting ahead in games but we are a young squad which is learning all the time and hopefully that will come.”