Bears on course for home defeat
Somerset remain well on course for a third successive Bob Willis Trophy victory despite rain holding up their advance against Warwickshire on the second day at Edgbaston.
On a murky day in Birmingham, rain wiped out the first session completely and interfered with the second and third so that 55 overs were lost from the day, but Somerset dodged the showers to take their first innings to 214 for six – a lead of 93.
Steven Davies led the way with an assertive unbeaten 56 to fully capitalise upon the skills shown by their bowlers in dismissing the home side for 121 on the first day.
After rain prevented play in the morning, Somerset resumed after an early lunch on 80 for two and did not add to their overnight score before James Hildreth, having hewn just a single from 43 minutes of toil, pulled Tim Bresnan to Alex Thomson at mid-wicket.
Olly Hannon-Dalby held the Warwickshire bowling together in familiarly big-hearted fashion. The Yorkshireman collected his third wicket of the innings when former Bears academy player Tom Banton was adjudged lbw, somewhat harshly as the ball appeared to be heading down leg-side.
Tom Abell (41, 82 balls, eight fours) then fell to Craig Miles when he feathered a leg-side catch to wicketkeeper Michael Burgess. That left Somerset on 130 five, just nine ahead but Davies and Craig Overton (25, 33 balls, four fours) added 61 in 15 overs.
The latter was pinned lbw by Bresnan but Lewis Gregory offered Davies further support in an unbroken stand of 23 before bad light and drizzle closed in for the final time.
