Weather wins as Warwickshire and Derbyshire settle for a draw

A dogged display from Derbyshire’s Matt Critchley left their hosts needing 213 in the final session before snow forced play to be abandoned

Warwickshire v Derbyshire

Edgbaston (fourth day of four): Derbyshire 189 & 244, Warwickshire 221 & 7-0 – match drawn

Scorecard

Warwickshire and Derbyshire had to settle for a draw at Edgbaston after a potentially intriguing run chase in the final session of their LV=Insurance County Championship opener was scuppered by yet more bad weather.

Facing a victory target of 213 in 41 overs in the last session, the home side were just 25 balls into their pursuit when snow began to fall. It was a relatively brief flurry, but another followed to end a contest which had been plagued by wintry weather on each of its four days.

For Derbyshire, a draw was due reward for their dogged resistance on a final day which they began in serious jeopardy at 71 for five, just 39 runs ahead. Sixth-wicket pair Matt Critchley (83 off 158 balls) and Harvey Hosein (78 not out off 145 balls) dug in to add 113 in 36 overs and others then chipped in before the visitors were finally all out for 244 just before tea.

As the sun at last came out on the final morning, and batting conditions eased, Warwickshire were held up by Critchley, who batted impressively for the second time in the match, and 24-year-old Hosein. Their alliance was finally broken in mid-afternoon by Liam Norwell who jagged one back in sharply to Critchley to win an lbw appeal.

The obdurate Hosein received further support from Fynn Hudson-Prentice (21 from 28 deliveries) in a stand of 35 before the latter edged Will Rhodes to wicketkeeper Michael Burgess.  

Michael Cohen and Ben Aitchison then contributed only three runs apiece, but each ate up nearly 20 valuable minutes as Derbyshire battled hard to inch towards safety. Craig Miles removed them both, thanks to catches by Sam Hain at second slip and short leg respectively, before Sam Conners edged Norwell behind.

Oliver Hannon-Dalby ended with five for 76, his eighth haul of five-or-more wickets in a first-class innings, having not added to the wickets he took on the third day.

Warwickshire were left needing 213 in a session, a testing equation in a game in which runs had never come freely. They began in measured fashion, reaching seven without loss from 4.1 overs, but then the bad weather, which haunted this match throughout, returned to have the final say.

Subscribe today and receive The Cricketer’s centenary issue – six issues for £19.21. Click here