MATCH DRAWN: MIDDLESEX 207 & 173-6; WARWICKSHIRE 254
Despite producing some purposeful and interesting cricket, Warwickshire and Middlesex finally had to settle for a draw in their weather-affected LV=County Championship clash at Edgbaston.
Trailing by 47 on first innings, after finally bowling the home side out for 254 on the final morning, Middlesex were in jeopardy at 105 for five on the final afternoon as spinner Jeetan Patel got among the wickets again on a turning wicket.
But Neil Dexter, top-scorer in the first innings with 53, again supplied exactly the resistance his team required. His diligent 43 (74 balls, eight fours) steered Middlesex towards sanctuary at 173 for six and a draw which strengthened their grip on second place in the Division One table.
For Warwickshire, there was frustration after they had largely had the better of the match. In the end the loss of the entire first day to rain, allied to further interruptions on the second and third days, took too much time out of the game for either side to force victory.
Warwickshire resumed on the final day 224 for eight but were denied quick runs by accurate seam-bowling. Tim Ambrose added just five runs in 45 minutes to reach 89 (166 balls, 13 fours) before edging Toby Roland-Jones to second slip. Spinner Ollie Rayner then trapped Boyd Rankin lbw to finish with three for 85, an unusual three-for with one of the wickets having been taken on Wednesday, one on Thursday and one on Friday.
Middlesex began their second innings with an awkward ten-over session before lunch and lost Paul Stirling during it, lbw to Keith Barker. The left-armer struck again soon after the interval when Sam Robson was bowled by one that kept low and the visitors were under serious pressure after Patel took three wickets to add to his five in the first innings.
Dawid Malan fell lbw, pushing forward, for 10 and Nick Compton who had played the spinner with most comfort, paid a high price for trying to take the attack to the bowler when he lifted a catch to substitute fielder Laurie Evans at mid-off and perished for 28.
When James Franklin's near-strokeless 62-ball resistance ended on 16, with an edge to Ambrose, Middlesex were five down and only 58 in front with 42 overs left. But Dexter and John Simpson added 44 in 15 overs either side of tea to direct the match gently up a cul-de-sac.
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TEA DAY FOUR: MIDDLESEX 207 & 121-5*; WARWICKSHIRE 254
Warwickshire were pressing hard for victory as Middlesex went into tea at 121 for five, 74 ahead, on the final day of their LV=County Championship match at Edgbaston.
Trailing by 47 on first innings after bowling the home side out for 254, Middlesex lost openers Paul Stirling and Sam Robson before the deficit was erased. They fell, lbw and bowled respectively, to Keith Barker inswingers to leave their side 40 for two, still seven runs behind.
Jeetan Patel then got to work bowling throughout the afternoon from the Birmingham End, to add three wickets to his five in the first innings. Dawid Malan was lbw for 10 and Nick Compton's attempted counter-attack backfired when he was caught by substitute fielder Laurie Evans and mid-off and perished for 28.
James Franklin's near-strokeless 62-ball resistance ended on 16 when he edged his fellow Kiwi to Ambrose but Neil Dexter resisted hard to go into tea unbeaten on 24.
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LUNCH DAY FOUR: MIDDLESEX 207 & 29-1*; WARWICKSHIRE 254
Middlesex went into lunch on 29 for one after losing an early wicket as they embarked upon a rearguard action against Warwickshire on the final morning of their LV=County Championship match at Edgbaston.
Trailing by 47 on first innings after bowling the home side out for 254, Middlesex face a potentially awkward last day on a wearing pitch. And they lost Paul Stirling in the seventh over, lbw to Keith Barker, before Sam Robson and Nick Compton prevented further damage in ten overs up to lunch.
Warwickshire had resumed today on 224 for eight, 17 ahead, but they were denied quick runs by accurate bowling from the Middlesex seamers. Tim Ambrose added just five runs in 45 minutes to reach 89 (166 balls, 13 fours) before edging the deserving Toby Roland-Jones to Ollie Rayner in the slips.
Chris Wright was left unbeaten on 32 (111 balls) when spinner Rayner trapped Boyd Rankin lbw to finish with three for 85, an unusual three-for, having taken one wicket on Wednesday, one on Thursday and one on Friday.
