County Championship: Surrey beat Warwickshire inside three days at Edgbaston

Kemar Roach took the 22nd five-wicket haul of his first-class career

Surrey's two overseas pacemen Kemar Roach and Dan Worrall proved too much for Warwickshire as the 2022 county champions comfortably disposed of the 2021 winners at Edgbaston.

After Surrey eked out 70 more morning runs to reach 281 thanks to Jamie Smith (88) and 35 in 24 balls from Worrall, for a first-innings lead of 131, the visitors then blew away Warwickshire's batting for a second time.

After dismissing them for 150 in the first innings, second time around the Bears crumbled to 141 all out, only all-rounder Ed Barnard standing tall on 49.

And Surrey then took 12 balls, for the loss of makeshift opener Worrall, to get the job done on 16-1 and win by nine wickets.

West Indies quickie Roach took 5-34, the former Worcestershire man finishing with match figures of 8-67.

Australian Worrall (3-55), playing in his second season on a British passport, had match figures of 7-93 as Surrey completed their second successive win, this one inside three days.

After last week's emphatic victory over 2022 title challengers Hampshire this was another big win, over a Warwickshire side who had started the season with a rain-hit draw at Taunton followed by a dramatic win at Edgbaston over Kent.

After Surrey resumed on 211-8 Worrall's big-hitting in the morning, including successive sixes over long on off Chris Rushworth, earned Surrey seven overs with the new ball at Warwickshire's second innings before lunch.

And they took four wickets as Rob Yates and Sam Hain both edged Roach to Dom Sibley at slip, Alex Davies was caught at fourth slip and Roach then trapped Will Rhodes with the final ball of the session.

Dan Mousley and Michael Burgess followed to leave the Bears 39-6 before Barnard added 30 with Chris Woakes.

But the England all-rounder lost his off stump to Jordan Clark and then it was just a question of whether Surrey could complete an innings win.

Rushworth avoided that but, after Barnard had been caught behind, he was then last man out in a comical run-out.

The Bears now face an away trip to Hampshire, while Surrey also must travel again - to face 2019 and 2020 red-ball kings Essex.

Warwickshire first team coach Mark Robinson:

"We turned up feeling buoyant after what we had done to stay right in the game and then we got blown away. That first hour killed us. We would have taken a deficit of 70 but to be 130 behind put us behind the eight ball.

"And they took their momentum from their batting into their bowling,. Both our openers got good balls and next minute you're four down at the interval.

"We were on the wrong side of conditions for the first two days and did really well to stay in the game but then a bad hour costs us and that ends up as a bad session.

"Credit to Surrey for playing how they did. It's a lesson to us to be that ruthless when we get into those positions. They are international bowlers. What we have to do is find a way to weather those storms.

"We weren't claiming to be the best team in the league last week. We are not the worst team in the league this week. We're somewhere in between, an emerging team and an exciting team. It won't be the only time we get beaten this season but we will have lots more wins to come too."

Surrey head coach Gareth Batty:

"It was a solid win and a great game of cricket considering the amount of time it took us to get over the line.

"We were magnificent with the ball in the first innings, led by Mr Worrall yet again and Mr Roach. Kemar was dynamite. He and Dan complement each other perfectly. They are basic opposites, which is great.

"And our batting was very good against a high-class attack with some high quality international bowlers who came at us hard.

"We have been pretty dominant, led by the two opening bowlers but our batting was very good against a high-class attack with some high quality international bowlers who came at us hard.

"Jamie Smith's innings was superb as well. It's not his highest score by any stretch but it's the best I have seem him play. He will be another one that we won't be seeing around much which is a big positive for him and for England."