Forgettable match ends in predictable stalemate

WARWICKSHIRE and Somerset harvested the predictable Rothesay County Championship draw as a forgettable match finally petered out on the final day at Edgbaston last week.

- REPORT BY BRIAN HALFORD & RICHARD LATHAM

Set a notional victory target of 377 in 69 overs, Warwickshire plodded to 161-4 as Tom Latham (52 from 103 balls) and Sam Hain (68*, 157) escorted their team to safety and the match to stalemate.

Somerset had extended their second innings in the morning to 229-8 (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-for - 5-67.

It had always appeared that a bland 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 from a match which offered less than vivid entertainment.

The deployment of two short mid-wickets and two short extras for Latham off Migael Pretorius was about as exciting as it got for the slumbering Edgbaston faithful.