LeicesterExile wrote:

Have Warks settled for a draw before the day started?

Looks like it I'd have expected the declaration after OHD was out. Obviously spooked still by what happened at Taunton.

Somerset set a target of 369 in 68 overs which is roughly 5.4 runs an over.

LeicesterExile wrote:

Have Warks settled for a draw before the day started?

Looks like we’ve lost all confidence. Crawling through to the end of the season!

In terms of the decisions in this match, I think it’s one of those where, actually you’ve got to consider the other matches not just ours.
Kent, Lancs and Notts all losing. We’ll gain a place with a draw. Then back ourselves to beat Kent and Worcs.
If we risk it and lose, suddenly we lose control, got to take bigger risks in matches later in the season, in 2 matches with a kookaburra, and weather is more likely to have an effect and teams around us can play for a draw with greater ease.

Better to stay ahead and compete for the win but be able to accept a draw, against teams lower in the table.

However, in the general picture of this championship season, that we’re in this position at all is unacceptable. It’s been clear for a while the bowling is understocked and overly reliant on older or injury prone players.
If we blow the T20, Robinson has to go. You can’t weaken a championship team so badly, in order to boost the white ball team but not win a white ball trophy.

We need to get Rew out asap or we're done for.

At what time will they declare a draw now they are off for bad light

The Umpires can decide at anytime, but with the match situation play can resume at any stage if the light improves.

Somerset still feel they can win, especially when James Rew was batting superbly.

Match drawn.
Updated table here:
https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/county-championship-division-one-2024-1410191/points-table-standings

Three of our last 4 are against our fellow strugglers so it's in our hands except I can't see how we will ever bowl the opposition out twice. Think we have to play a front line spinner going forward.

Devon_Bear wrote:

We need to get Rew out asap or we're done for.

Nah there was never any danger. They wanted him to attack, not a single player on the boundary. OHD bowled for him to drive because him going hard and chasing it was the only chance of getting a wicket on such a slow pitch.
Then they had to bowl part timers in Bethell and Yates because of the light. Again, not trying to defend the boundary properly to see if him attacking it could draw a mistake. But it was too slow and the bowlers weren’t good enough. At the end you could see Davies go up to the umpire, I presume saying he wanted to bowl his seamers, which he knew would take them off and get the draw.

Don’t worry, Somerset will make it seem like Rew played the greatest innings known to man, with zero context.

If today told me anything, it is that we need to get a FAST bowler who can put the S** up opposition batsmen. Good as they are, OHD, Rushworth, Barnard would gain more if it was the time of green prepared pitches (Up to late 1990's) where a home side did what they liked. It isn't, and although I am pleased with Rae, will he be here for the long term. I do not have much faith in Briggs as a CC bowler although he is superb in 50 over and T20 and we can't keep using Yates and Bethel just because we have no faith in Briggs. Glad Davies decided to bring pace on or we would be still fetching the ball from Rew's huge hitting.

Remaining Fixtures:

BEARS: Kent (h), Worcs (a), Essex (h), Notts (a). WORCS: Essex (a), Bears (h), Hants (a), Lancs (h).
NOTTS: Surrey (h), Essex (a), Kent (a), Bears (h). LANCS: Hants (h), Durham (a), Somerset (h), Worcs (a).

Interesting final fixtures, Notts v Bears & Worcs v Lancs - could all be on the final round of matches.

The lack of a top quality spinner is my biggest take away from this match. We’ve known the lack of resources and a point of difference in the seam attack since before the season began.
But seeing what Leach did this morning, we could have really put the pressure on them chasing this target with someone similar.
Yates, Bethell and Mousley aren’t good enough to be relied upon solely. They are handy party timers in 4 day cricket, not all rounders. They might have a really good day once a year, but they can't do it consistently.

BristolBear wrote:

The lack of a top quality spinner is my biggest take away from this match. We’ve known the lack of resources and a point of difference in the seam attack since before the season began.
But seeing what Leach did this morning, we could have really put the pressure on them chasing this target with someone similar.
Yates, Bethell and Mousley aren’t good enough to be relied upon solely. They are handy party timers in 4 day cricket, not all rounders. They might have a really good day once a year, but they can't do it consistently.

Agreed. We have 4 or 5 decent one day spinners but unless Taz Ali is ready to step up we will need to recruit for next seasons four day side.

I know that groundsman Gary Barwell doesn't take criticism of his pitches too well; but Mark Robisnon is not too far off the mark when he says: “On this type of surface it just gets flatter and flatter and favours the team batting on the last day. It is hard to bowl somebody out on that type of surface."
On the other hand, Jack Leach - five wickets for 18 runs in 49 balls - might disagree.

4 of those wickets were absolute gifts I'd say. It became very apparent on day 1 we were on a low and slow type of surface, just not a good cricket wicket. Edgbaston can be a bit like that sometimes, its not a dig at Barwell. Who can forget that deck last year for the Ashes?!