County Championship: Warwickshire beat the light to finish off Kent for innings win

England's Chris Woakes ended up with five wickets in the match in his first Bears appearance since they won the title in September 2021

Warwickshire finished off Kent in badly fading light in Birmingham as they secured a thrilling innings victory.

Kent put up a great fight, largely through great rearguard efforts from Joey Evison and Ben Compton.

But, well into the final hour and, just after umpires Richard Illingworth, and Martin Saggers had checked their light meters, Hasan Ali had Evison caught behind for 99.

Resuming on 27-1, Kent were into the seventh over of the day before they lost their first wicket, nightwatchman Matt Quinn, who was bowled by fit-again England paceman Chris Woakes, who ended up with five wickets in the match.

But it proved only the prelude for what was to follow as three more wickets went down in five overs.

Rushworth had Daniel Bell-Drummond caught by Rob Yates at slip, home skipper Will Rhodes pouched Joe Denly at fourth slip - and Yates then held onto another one at boot height off Rushworth to remove Jack Leaning.

Joey Evison's only ton remains his maiden century for previous county Nottinghamshire against Sussex last summer

Jordan Cox came in to put together a useful 43-run partnership with Compton, but that ended straight after lunch when Woakes had him caught at second slip for 29, and Oliver Hannon-Dalby quickly clean bowled visiting skipper Sam Billings.

From 82-5 at lunch to 99-7, defeat seemed inevitable, only for Evison and Compton to knuckle down with a century stand to bring Kent back to within 100 runs of parity.

After a four-hour, 185-ball stay, the tea break proved a distraction to Compton, who straight after the restart edged to Yates at slip. But Evison was not done yet - and he found a new partner in on-loan Surrey paceman Conor McKerr.

They put on a further 74 before McKerr was brilliantly caught off Hannon-Dalby by skipper Rhodes, again at fourth slip. And just seven balls later it was all over, to a rapturous roar from those faithful fans who had stayed on in the murky Edgbaston light, latterly more in hope than expectation.

Who's next?

The Bears, who go top of the early season table, now have an 11-day break before a meeting of the 2021 champions with 2022 champions Surrey at Edgbaston, starting on 27 April.

But Kent are straight back into action with a home game against Essex at Canterbury, starting on Thursday.

Warwickshire first team coach Mark Robinson told BBC Radio WM:

"The ball got softer, there was a bit of drizzle around and we know Edgbaston pitches get slower. It became really hard work. But we stuck at it and beat the bat a hell of a lot.

"You have to give them credit. Compton was very composed and Evison hurt us for a long time. Then we get Compton out and McKerr comes in and bats for 100 balls.

"You start to fear the worst with the light fading but then Rhodesy plucks a great catch off Olly and then we have one of the all-time great wicket celebrations from Hasan. That shows how much it means to him.

"And welcome back Chris Woakes. In the dirt for the best part of two days trying to bowl teams out. But we have got our bye next week. That will give everybody extra recovery time and then we have three big games."

Kent head coach Matt Walker:

"We definitely didn't deserve much but, when people fight hard like the way the guys did and they get you close to the line, and then you fall just short, they are the gut-wrenchers.

"The character shown by Compton early on, then Joey Evison with great support from Conor McKerr sends a real message to the group that with concentration and determination and hard work and good decision-making, things can be done.

"It was a good challenge against one of the best bowling attacks in the country. They showed us how to bowl on that wicket.

"Matt Quinn's injury is not too bad. He caught it early so we've been able to have a look at it. Great credit to him for going back out there and bowling again, obviously not at full tilt. That's two weeks in a row we've lost a bowler during the game. Obviously not ideal, but that's no excuse."