Implacable Sam gets job done as Bears seal draw

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

- By BRIAN HALFORD

Set a notional victory target of 377 in 69 overs, the Bears plodded to 161 for four as Tom Latham (52 from 103 balls) and Sam Hain (68 not out, 157) escorted their team to safety and the match to 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 Rocchiccioli, who took a debut five-for - five for 67.

It had always appeared 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.