Careless batting and missed opportunities in the field cost Somerset a position of dominance against Warwickshire on the second day of their County Championship match at Edgbaston.
On a pitch which is excellent for batting, Somerset were 407-3 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 157-1 with Alex Davies (63 not out) and Tom Latham (65 not out) 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 to leave the match already 99.47% certain to end in a draw.
After Somerset resumed on the second morning on 327-3 and overnight pair Tom Lammonby (133) and Tom Abell (48) 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.
The moment that Warwickshire avoid the follow on figure – 349 – this match will be doomed to a draw. 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, so did the batters and so did the pitch and something truly remarkable has to happen if this 148th championship meeting of these teams is not to conclude in a 68th draw.
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