County Championship: Sibley, Hain & Davies hit fifties as Bears draw with Somerset

Discarded England opener Dom Sibley hit six fours for Warwickshire against Somerset in his 50th first-class fifty

Warwickshire's County Championship relegation battle with Somerset ended in a draw after the Bears' final-day victory push fell short at Edgbaston.

Somerset declared on 340-7 to set an unlikely target of 364 in 82 overs.

Dom Sibley (54) and Alex Davies (58) shared a 95-run second-wicket stand before Sam Hain (52 not out) and Will Rhodes added 88 for the fourth wicket.

But wickets in successive balls for Jack Brooks and a run-out slowed the Bears to fall short on 256-6.

The result only tightens up the relegation equation in Division One, which now seems to be down to a three-way fight between Warwickshire and Kent, on 115 points, and Somerset, eight points better off on 123, while Yorkshire, who host leaders Surrey next week, are still not safe on 132.

The visitors' decision to bat on 40 minutes into the final day enabled George Bartlett to reach his sixth first-class century.

Warwickshire's second innings then started crisply against the seamers with 30 coming from six overs but, as soon as Somerset turned to spin, Rob Yates played back to Sajid Khan's faster sixth ball and was out leg before wicket.

Sibley and Davies then started to go for their shots until both perished to loose, lofted blows in successive overs from Kasey Aldridge.

Sibley failed to control a pull and was caught on the mid-wicket boundary before Davies chipped to mid on, but Hain and Rhodes kept the board ticking over.

Those hopes folded when Brooks bowled Rhodes for 44 and trapped Michael Burgess lbw, for a pair, before Jayant Yadav was spectacularly run out by Sajid Khan's direct hit from deep mid-wicket.

But Hain and Danny Briggs (17 not out) stood firm through the last 12 overs until bad light intervened.

The Bears now head to Bristol next Tuesday for a seemingly crucial game with bottom club Gloucestershire, before then hosting title-chasing Hampshire.

Somerset take on Northants, before a final week trip to Canterbury to face Kent in what could yet be a losers-go-down clash.

Warwickshire first team coach Mark Robinson told BBC CWR:

"Obviously Somerset didn't really want to give us a chance, batted quite slowly and it was a bit stale-matey. Then eventually they declared and I love my team when they are in this mood. All the talk was about winning. They wanted to have a go - and we did.

"We were in a good position and right in the game, needing seven an over with 20 to go, and had set it up nicely and then it was a shame we lost a couple of wickets when we did so had to shut up shop.

"We didn't want to be where we are in the table but circumstances, injuries etc., mean that sometimes you are in this position. We just have to keep going - and we've had the addition of two fantastic overseas players in Mohammed Siraj and Jayant Yadav."

Somerset captain Tom Abell told BBC Radio Somerset:

"We felt we were in a good position to push on for that win. It wasn't to be but it ended up being a great game of cricket. It ebbed and flowed right throughout the four days.

"The surface changed throughout the four days and got better to bat on. Chasing 360 on the final day is a big ask but batting had got easier and we had to really stick in there and we always held the belief that we could give ourselves a chance.

"Warwickshire came out and batted with great intent .When we got a couple of quick wickets the game swung back in our favour. But it was always going to be tough on that surface to try and blow through the tail."

Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network.