November 7, 2024

Leach five buoys Somerset before rain ruins chance of result

August 26, 2024
12:50 am

Warwickshire 337 (Yates 69, Burgess 69, Bethell 64, Davey 4-80, Overton 4-88) and 270 (Davies 131, Leach 5-77) drew with Somerset 239 (Aldridge 84, Rew 49, Lammonby 44, Barnard 5-54) and 206 for 4 (Rew 55*)

Jack Leach gave England’s selectors a reminder of his skills as Somerset’s Vitality Championship match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston ended in a rain-affected draw.

The left-arm spinner has been overlooked by England in favour of Somerset team-mate Shoaib Bashir since the opening Test against India in Hyderabad in January but chose a dark day in Birmingham to prove that his talents still shine brightly.

On a pitch offering only slight turn, Leach took five wickets for 18 runs in 49 balls, finishing with 5 for 77, to truncate Warwickshire’s second innings at 270, Alex Davies leading the way for the home side with 131 from 225 balls.

The 33-year-old’s work set up a potentially exciting final afternoon with Somerset, facing a target of 369 from 68 overs. They were on 13 without loss at lunch only for the rain, which robbed the match of 51 overs on the third day, to return. The loss of another ten overs turned the chase from improbable to impossible and Somerset ended on 206 for 4 (James Rew 55 not out from 24 balls).

The draw cost Somerset valuable ground on Division One leaders Surrey who beat Lancashire at The Oval. For relegation-threatened Warwickshire, the frustration was deep after rain prevented them from trying to turn a strong position into their first victory of the season. They remain the only team in Division One without a win, though they have a good chance to change that situation next week when bottom-of-the-table Kent visit Edgbaston.

Warwickshire resumed on the final morning on 179 for 5, 277 ahead, and advanced to 218 before Leach unpicked the lower order. He started the slide with three wickets for nine runs in 18 balls. Davies, having compiled a measured century, his 11th in first-class cricket, went back to a full-length ball and was bowled. Dan Mousley charged at one cleverly delivered wide on the off side and was stumped. Michael Rae was bowled second ball, heaving to leg.

Olly Hannon Dalby edged to wicketkeeper Rew before Michael Burgess, one of the better No. 8s in county cricket history, left with only the tail for company, lifted to extra cover to complete Leach’s 27th five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.

Warwickshire’s collapse gave the visitors a glimmer of opportunity. Six weeks earlier, Somerset had amassed 410 for 5 – their second-highest ever run chase – to beat the Bears at Taunton, so a target of 369 did not daunt them. They started purposefully but then yet another rain interruption sentenced the match to stalemate.

Openers Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Andy Umeed were caught at deep midwicket. Tom Lammonby and Tom Banton perished to faulty pulls at Rae. Rew helped himself to a 23-ball half-century as match meandered to a draw before the light mercifully closed in once and for all and the tiny crowd departed wondering if, entertainment-wise, they would have been better off salmon-fishing in Sasolburg.