Warwickshire coach happy as they bag another win

The Bears underlined their title-chasing credentials by completing a four-wicket win over fellow challengers Essex inside three days at Edgbaston.

“The story of seam-bowling dominance continued into the third day as Essex were bowled out in their second innings for 215. Chris Rushworth finished with 4-62 (8-90 in the match) while Hassan Ali took 4-48.

That left a victory target of 100 and, as batting remained far from straightforward, Warwickshire had to work hard to get there, reaching 100-6 from 27.2 overs.

“We are absolutely delighted with the start we have made,” said Robinso.

“If at the start of the season somebody had offered us three wins from five games we’d have bitten their hand off. Even with all the weather around we have forced three wins and we are very happy going to this next phase of cricket.

“Batting hasn’t been that easy with all the rain around and it also hasn’t been that easy to get continuity, this is only the second time we have batted in the second innings.”

“But Will Rhodes scored a superb 68, the highest score of the match and absolutely vital in the context of the game, and then 70 from our last wicket was vital too. We were leading by 40 then all of a sudden it’s 110 and much more imposing and it just showed how important those runs were when we got over the line needing 100 with six wickets down.

“The chase was a bit scruffy from our point of view, we could probably have finished it a bit more calmly and not made it jittery, but we got over the line. We are not perfect but we are a team which has a bit of bottle and hopefully can learn more for the adventures which we are embarking on.

“Batting was never easy with all the rain around and two excellent bowling attacks, Simon Cook for Essex was outstanding and has been for a few years now and Jamie Porter looks back to his best.

Warwickshire underlined their LV=Insurance County Championship title-chasing credentials by completing a four-wicket win over fellow challengers Essex inside three days at Edgbaston.

The skills of Rushworth and Hassan, ably supported in the seam department by Olly Hannon-Dalby and Ed Barnard, were the decisive factor in a fast-moving match which yielded a result on the third day despite the loss of 41 overs to the weather on the first two.

A first defeat of the season came as a jolt for Essex after their impressive display in the draw against champions Surrey last week. Warwickshire’s third win in five games continued a strong start that has far exceeded expectations after they avoided relegation by the skin of their teeth last September.

After Essex resumed on the third morning on 86 for four, still trailing by 30, overnight pair Matt Critchley and Michael Pepper took their side in front but neither lasted much longer as three wickets fell in 15 balls. Critchley edged Hassan Ali to Rob Yates at first slip and Rushworth pinned Pepper lbw and had Doug Bracewell brilliantly caught by Sam Hain at second slip.

Simon Harmer (50 not out, 79 balls) and Shane Snater (31, 32) attacked effectively to ensure they would at least have something to bowl at, but the relentless seam team kept nagging away. Snater was snared lbw by Hannon-Dalby, and Hassan Ali had Sam Cook caught at long leg and Jamie Porter taken at slip.

Chasing 100 in a minimum of 73 overs, Warwickshire had plenty of time but Alex Davies sought to do the job quickly and fell lbw to Cook when he missed an attempt to send the ball into the River Rea.

Batting remained awkward as Essex’s seamers showed their skills. Yates edged Porter into the cordon and when Bracewell produced two superb away-cutters to remove Hain and Will Rhodes in three balls, it was 65 for four and Essex had a glimmer of hope.

Dan Mousley and Barnard added an important 21 and, though the dismissal of Mousley and Michael Burgess in successive overs had a few home nerves jangling at 91 for six, Barnard (23 not out, 28 balls) steered his team home.