By Brian Halford, ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay

Somerset, 498 and 229 for 8, drew with Warwickshire, 351 and 161 for four.

Warwickshire 11 points, Somerset 14

Warwickshire and Somerset harvested the predictable Rothesay County Championship draw as a forgettable match finally petered out on the final day at Edgbaston.

Set a notional victory target of 377 in 69 overs, Warwickshire plodded to 161 for four as Tom Latham (52 from 103 balls) and Sam Hain (68 not out, 157) escorted their team to safety and the match to stalemate.

Somerset had extended their second innings in the morning to 229 for eight (James Rew 61, 81) but not as quickly as they hoped due to interference from Australian off-spinner Corey Rocchoccioli who took a debut five-for - five for 67.

It had always appeared that a bland pitch would blunt the victory aspirations of either side and so it proved. Both shored up their positions in the middle of Division One with a solid points haul from a match which offered less than vivid entertainment. The deployment of two short mid-wickets and two short extras for Latham off Migael Pretorius was about as exciting as it got for the slumbering Edgbaston faithful.

Somerset resumed on the final morning on 116 for three, 283 ahead overall, and started purposefully. Rew completed a 66-ball half-century but two wickets for Rocchoccioli slowed the momentum and changed the plan. The spinner unfurled a lovely turning delivery which Rew edged to wicketkeeper Kai Smith. Tom Banton missed a sweep and was lbw.

Bowling coach Steve Kirby had suggested after day three that Somerset would need 80 overs to try to bowl Warwickshire out, but that point arrived with the lead only 317. That would have been a very attractive target on a pitch still good for batting.

Tom Abell (42, 63) and Archie Vaughan (38 not out, 59) batted watchfully to prevent a collapse then expanded to add 65 in 14 overs before Abell charged and missed at Rocchoccioli. Pretorious had his off-stump rendered askew by Ethan Bamber and Rocchoccioli’s five-for was complete when Craig Overton missed a reverse sweep and was lbw, triggering lunch and the declaration.

To challenge the target - 377 in two sessions - Warwickshire needed a strong platform but they lost soon both openers. Alex Davies fell to the fourth ball, lbw, trapped in the crease by Matt Henry. Rob Yates left a gap between bat and pad and Jack Leach, who opened the bowling, turned the ball through it.

That scuppered any chance of a Warwickshire win. Somerset’s hopes were ground away over the next two hours by Latham and Hain. There are few batters better-equipped than those to steer a side to safety and they duly quietened the excited fielding side with resolute, solid and watchful work.

They declined to pursue a target of 276 from 34 overs after tea. Latham drove a return catch to Overton and Jacob Bethell top-edged a pull at Pretorius but the implacable Hain reached 50 for the 58th time in first-class cricket to see the job through in a soporific, slumbering, sparsely-populated stadium as far-removed as can be from the passionate cauldron it will be when England meet India there next week.

The captains shake hands and Somerset take 14 points from Edgbaston.

A good effort from both sides with the Kookaburra ball on a good batting pitch.

The leg slip almost works as Hain gets a flick on one about three feet to Tom Abell's left.

Not a chance but it is four runs and Sam Hain's half century, his second of the game, and fourth in a row!

Bethell and Pretorius were having a real battle.

Migael beat the outside edge on a few occasions, Bethell then flicks him beautifully through the leg side. He goes again next ball and mistimes it straight up, Abell takes a good catch!

Latham drives one straight back to Craig Overton, who takes a sharp catch.

Quite a strange mode of dismissal.

50 up for Tom Latham!

A really calm innings, kept things simple, 94 balls and six boundaries.

Back out there after tea!

This game looks like it's sailing towards a draw, Hain and Latham batting really well.

And that's tea.

The home side have battled well after losing two early wickets, Warwickshire 100/2.

Some really good application here from Hain & Latham.

Warwickshire looking much more assured.