Shropshire Star

Warwickshire Bears facing a tough battle

Warwickshire batsman Dominic Sibley scored his sixth century in successive first-class matches but could not prevent Hampshire taking total charge of their County Championship match at Edgbaston.

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Sibley carried his bat through the Bears’ first innings to finish unbeaten on 109, adding to the three-figure scores he recorded in his previous five first-class games, against Leicestershire, Sussex, Kent, Surrey (for MCC) and Kent again.

The 23-year-old almost single-handedly staved off the follow-on for Warwickshire, but Hampshire will still enter the final day today well-placed to gain their second championship win of the season. They secured a first-innings lead of 121 and then batted aggressively second time round to pile pressure on the injury-ravaged home side.

Rilee Rossouw (76 off 46 balls), championship debutant Oliver Soames (62) and Sam Northeast (55 not out) enabled Hampshire to declare on 302-5, setting the beleaguered home side 424 to win.

Warwickshire will resume today on 42-2, having lost openers Sibley and Will Rhodes in the evening session, and they have a massive rearguard action ahead of them on the final day.

After Warwickshire resumed on the third morning on 184 for seven, they soon lost Henry Brookes, caught at slip off Joe Weatherley.

Sibley and Jeetan Patel saw their side past the follow-on figure before Gareth Berg dismissed Patel, caught behind, and bowled Olly Hannon-Dalby.

When Hampshire went in to bat again they showed immediate urgency and openers Soames and Weatherley (46) added 102 in 18 overs before Soames pulled Craig Miles to Patel at mid-wicket.

Weatherley tickled Brookes leg-side to the wicketkeeper and Tom Alsop (25) was bowled, reverse-sweeping, by Patel.

However, Roussouw ruthlessly climbed into the struggling attack either side of tea. He struck four sixes and six fours to hurry the lead upwards with the objective of giving Hampshire’s bowlers plenty of time to get at the home batting before stumps.

Roussouw skied Hannon-Dalby to deep mid-wicket but, after Liam Dawson fell lbw to Patel, Northeast and Aneurin Donald added a perky 38 from 33 balls to set up an early declaration.

With an awkward period to face before the close, Warwickshire lost Sibley to the 17th ball of the innings when he edged Kyle Abbott to wicketkeeper Alsop.

First-class debutant Rob Yates showed good composure in a high-pressure situation but Rhodes chipped Dawson to mid-wicket seven overs before the close.