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15 wickets fall on day two at Edgbaston
15 wickets fell on the second day of this Vitality County Championship Division One match between Warwickshire and Somerset at Edgbaston.
The hosts will feel that they had the better of day two after Ed Barnard’s five for 54 helped them to a first innings lead of 98, but Kasey Aldridge’s impressive turn with the bat ensured that Somerset are by no means out of it.
Warwickshire, still looking for their first Championship win of the season, were dismissed for 337, but Somerset were then bowled out for 239.
Michael Burgess (69), Jake Bethell (64) and some aggressive tail-wagging gave the home side a solid total against an attack led by Josh Davey (four for 80) and Craig Overton (four for 88).
Somerset lost two wickets before a run was on the board and then found themselves on 65 for five against Barnard and Chris Rushworth (three for 42) before partially recovering through Kasey Aldridge’s elegant 84, supported by James Rew (49) and Tom Lammonby (44).
Warwickshire closed on 27 for one second time around, to end the day with a lead of 125.
The second day started with Warwickshire resuming on 277 for six. They added 60 for four in ten overs.
Burgess and Bethell took their partnership to 122 before both fell in five balls. Burgess edged Overton and was superbly caught by wicketkeeper Rew, standing up. Bethell’s middle stump was then knocked out by Davey.
At 287 for eight, Warwickshire were in danger of coming in light but the last two wickets clubbed 50 from 40 balls with eight fours and two sixes. Michael Rae struck 28 from 22 before he skied a slog at Overton.
Warwickshire appeared to have finished with a total around par, but Somerset’s first five wickets fell in 20 overs. The reply began when Tom Kohler-Cadmore charged at the first two balls from Olly Hannon-Dalby, missing the first and edging the second. When Rushworth knocked out Andy Umeed’s off stump, it was 0 for two.
Lammonby and Tom Abell added 36 but Barnard then struck twice as Abell was adjudged to have been lbw and Tom Banton edged to Will Rhodes at first slip. Lammonby scored a polished 44 but perished when he scooped Rushworth to long leg.
Aldridge settled stylishly to add 87 with Rew and 49 with Overton before the captain was castled by Hannon-Dalby. When Barnard bowled Davey and had Jack Leach caught at second slip in the space of four balls, Aldridge was 34 runs short of a ton with just last man Jake Ball for company. He acquired 18 of them before chipping a full-toss to extra cover to complete Barnard’s five-for.
Warwickshire soon lost Rob Yates, who fatally edged Overton’s fifth ball, in their second innings but closed strongly placed, 125 ahead with nine wickets intact, after Alex Davies and Will Rhodes survived until bad light lopped off the last 13 overs.
At the close of play, Aldridge said: “It was a tough day. It was a tricky wicket at times, especially with the new ball. There are still definitely balls out there that will get you out, so it was a tricky day but I don’t think we see ourselves as too far behind in the game. They have got to bat well still. We are definitely not out of the game. We know there will be demons for them from the last game where we chased down 400 so they are going to have to set us a big total and whatever it is we are going to try and chase it.
“As a batter I think you need to be patient on this pitch. In the last couple of years we [James Rew and I] have spent a lot of time batting together. I’m spending a lot of time with him in cricket and outside of cricket so we are becoming very familiar with each other’s game and we just try to have a good time together,
“I have been working hard on my batting, bowling and fielding and try my best to get it all right. Sometimes it won’t click but I aspire to go quite high in all three formats.”
