Warwickshire fight back as they battle for first win of year

Needing a win to maintain their pursuit of Division One leaders Surrey, Somerset chose to bowl and their seamers reduced the home side to 165 for six, but Jacob Bethell (60 not out, 134 balls) and Michael Burgess (63 not out, 79) added an unbroken 112 in 30 overs.

The seventh-wicket pair bailed out a top order which contributed little apart from Rob Yates (69, 119). Craig Overton and Josh Davey both took two wickets but Somerset’s bowlers mixed good balls with too many loose offerings which prevented them building the required pressure.

Warwickshire, mired in a relegation battle, were very grateful for the work of Bethell and Burgess as they try to build a position from which to push for their belated first championship victory of the season.

Warwickshire coach Mark Robinson said: “It was a topsy-turvy day which I think ended about even. We did well to get through the new ball at 50 for one but then they came back into it well thanks to a mixture of some good balls and some loose shots.

“At 270 for seven we are in the game which is the main thing. Bethell and Burgess batted really well in the last session. We know how much Jake has developed this year and, with Sam Hain out, we had to rejig the batting order and part of that was to give Jake some more responsibility. He rewarded us with a really good innings and hopefully he can go on tomorrow and get past the new ball which will be due straight away.

“Burge did what he has done so often in the last two years, batting really well and positively, to take the game back to the opposition.”