Worcestershire 360 (Kashif 110, Roderick 68) and 295 for 3 (Kashif 133, Libby 101*) drew with Warwickshire 333 (Barnard 89, Rhodes 64)

Warwickshire and Worcestershire launched their Vitality County Championship season with a draw after dangerous climate shunted a hitherto intriguing recreation up a cul-de-sac at Edgbaston.

Warwickshire’s bowling assault, which can count on to be “higher for the outing”, within the phrases of head coach Mark Robinson, secured only one extra wicket when Olly Hannon-Dalby clutched an instinctive return catch from a straight drive by Rob Jones. There was little pleasure for the opposite bowlers and least of all for left-arm spinner Danny Briggs who was adjudged to have delivered seven leg-side wides.

With the match consigned to stalemate, Libby continued implacably to his ton whereas Adam Hose loved a while in the course of his former dwelling floor, restraining his typical attacking recreation to gather an unbeaten 17 in over an hour.

If there was some frustration for Worcestershire at being denied a chance to report their first Championship win at Edgbaston since 1993, there was additionally loads of room for satisfaction. They acquitted themselves extraordinarily nicely on their return to Division One.

They have been the higher facet with bat and ball. Kashif’s first two first-class centuries – 110 and 133 – lit up a match largely carried out below an unbroken cover of gray whereas abroad debutants Nathan Smith and Jason Holder provided promise within the seam assault.

“We performed some actually good cricket in the course of the recreation,” D’Oliveira mentioned. “Kashif had a very particular recreation and is a very particular cricketer. I’m excited by the journey forward of him. Our abroad guys have fitted in very well. Firstly, they’re glorious characters who’ve slotted straight into the dressing room. Jason is sensible for me as a captain to must bounce concepts off. Nathan is a extremely gifted bowlers who has already confirmed what he can do on this match.

“Each we time we come up we’re favourites to go down and now we have been relegated just a few occasions, in order that’s cheap, however this yr we aiming to us that as a energy and shock just a few individuals.”

Worcestershire will journey to Trent Bridge to face Nottinghamshire on Friday with confidence excessive. Warwickshire, in the meantime, will goal to be a lot improved towards Durham at Edgbaston after lacking Sam Hain (private causes) and Liam Norwell (damage) on the coronary heart of their bowling and batting throughout this match.

Robinson admitted that he didn’t know when both participant would return. “We shall be higher for the outing, as they are saying. Gary [Barwell] and his groundstaff group did an incredible job to get a recreation on however situations have been tough for the bowlers. I feel all of the bowlers struggled within the wind and with gentle take-off factors however Worcestershire’s most likely coped just a little bit higher than ours.

“We have not been the place we need to be throughout this match. Our prep was affected as a result of we misplaced one participant the day earlier than the sport and one other one on the morning of the sport, however we have not bowled significantly nicely and it was a disappointing session with the bat the place we misplaced 5 fast wickets handy Worcestershire the initiative.

“Liam Norwell won’t be obtainable for some time. He has an damage which we’re trying into to get a little bit of readability. The excellent news, in the event you can have excellent news about an damage, is that it’s not the disc in his again that has been the issue previously. With regard to Sam Hain, I do not know if he shall be obtainable for the following recreation. We are going to give him on a regular basis and area he wants.”