Warwickshire secure a thrilling innings win in the gloom

The home side won by an innings and 14 runs when Joey Evison edged Hassan Ali behind to fall heartbreakingly for 99 having taken his side so close to salvaging an unlikely draw

When the visitors, having followed on 295 behind, declined to 99 for seven in their second innings, an ignominious defeat beckoned. But opener Ben Compton (88, 185 balls) and 21-year-old all-rounder Evison (99, 161) added 100 in 25 overs to hoover up much of the afternoon session. Then, after Compton fell in the first over after over tea, Evison and Surrey loanee Conor McKerr added 74 in 27 overs.

Kent were within touching distance of a great escape when, with the light fading fast, Olly Hannon-Dalby returned to have McKerr brilliantly caught by Will Rhodes at fourth slip and then Ali sealed the win with a luscious outswinger to the heroic Evison.

Warwickshire first-team coach Mark Robinson said: “We said this morning that we had a lot of hard work to do because this is Division One cricket and teams fight hard and give nothing away. The ball got softer and there was a bit of drizzle around and we know Edgbaston pitches get slower and it became really hard work.

“But we stuck at it, beat the bat a hell of a lot but just couldn’t find the edge. You have to give them credit. Compton was very composed and Evison hurt us for a long time and then we get Compton out and McKerr comes in and bats for 100 balls.

“You start to fear the worst with the light fading but then Rhodesy plucks a great catch off Olly and then we have one of the all-time great wicket celebrations from Hassan. I think that shows how much it means to him and how much he will give to the team and to the Edgbaston crowd.

“It means a lot when you have to keep going as a group and then get the result at the end of a long, tough day. We are only two games into the season but we think we have got a nice little mixture of experience and youth. We set up the game really well on the first day by batting really positively.

“We felt we were good at Taunton without having luck with the weather. There was a danger it was going to thwart us again but we got over the line this time. And welcome back Chris Woakes...in the dirt for the best part of two days trying to bowl teams out! But we have got our bye next week so that will give everybody that extra recovery time and then we have got three big games.”