WARWICKSHIRE opened their County Championship campaign with a draw against Somerset as the Bears claimed 11 points in a rain-affected match at Taunton.
No play was possible on day one, due to heavy rain the previous night, with the day’s action called off just half-an-hour before the scheduled start.
Bears were finally able to get their season underway on day two as Somerset won the toss and elected to bat.
And Warwickshire were firmly on top after Ed Barnard (3-54), Oliver Hannon-Dalby (3-76), Chris Rushworth (2-55) and Hasan Ali (2-62) helped restrict Somerset to 136-7 just after tea.
However, a superb 105-run eighth-wicket stand between Somerset captain Lewis Gregory (65) and Josh Davey (42) saw the home side recover to 269-8 at the end of play.
Warwickshire quickly bowled Somerset out for 284 at the start of day three only to lose opener Robert Yates (2) to the third ball of the innings in reply.
However, after Will Rhodes (39) was caught, opener Alex Davies (118) and fourth at the crease Sam Hain (119) put on 133 for the third wicket as Davies eventually departed having scored 21 four’s and a six.
Further knocks from Michael Burgess (46) and Barnard (19) helped take Warwickshire past Somerset’s total as the visitors ended the day on 305-7 before bad light brought an end to the day’s proceedings.
A useful 15 from Ali saw Warwickshire bowled out for 392 on the final day of play as Jack Leach (4-119), Peter Siddle (2-47), Gregory (2-59) and Davey (2-86) took the wickets.
Warwickshire led by 108 at the start of Somerset’s second innings with a draw the most likely outcome.
However, Bears made the perfect start as Hannon-Dalby removed opener Sean Dickson for a duck and then trapped Cameron Bancroft (0) lbw to leave the home side on 2-2.
And further wickets from Chris Rushworth (2-33) and Ali (1-52) left Somerset in trouble on 92-5 before Hannon-Dalby (3-21) bowled Gregory (26) with the home side just 19 runs ahead on 127-6.
Somerset opener Tom Lammonby (66 not out) and Craig Overton (29 not out) steered Somerset to safety as the match ended in a draw with the home side taking nine points to Warwickshire’s 11.
Warwickshire are next in action at home to Kent with play to begin on Thursday, April 13 at 11am at Edgbaston.
