County Championship: Warwickshire draw with Sussex
Last updated on .From the section Counties
| LV= County Championship Division One, Edgbaston |
| Sussex 601-6 dec: Nash 121, Brown 119 not out, Wright 110, Zaidi 106 |
| Warwickshire 612-6: Evans 213 not out, Ambrose 153 |
| Match drawn |
| Warwickshire 9 pts, Sussex 9 pts |
| Match scorecard |
Warwickshire's Laurie Evans and Tim Ambrose produced a new county-record partnership for the sixth wicket as the Bears drew with Sussex at Edgbaston.
The pair put on 327, which is also Warwickshire's highest-ever partnership for any wicket against Sussex.
Ambrose, the sixth centurion of a high-scoring match, was the only wicket to fall in the day's play for 153.
Evans hit his maiden double century, finishing 213 not out as the hosts ended 612-6 in reply to Sussex's 601-6.
Both sides took nine points from a match in which 1,213 runs were scored and only 12 wickets taken during the four days - in stark contrast to the outcome when the two teams met at Hove in May and 39 wickets went down inside three days for only 761 runs.
| Bears pair break record |
|---|
| The 327-run partnership between Laurie Evans and Tim Ambrose beat the previous best sixth-wicket stand for Warwickshire. Ambrose was involved in that too - a 226-run stand with Heath Streak against Worcestershire in 2007. |
After rain forced an early end to a wicketless morning session, Sussex's first draw in the Championship this summer became inevitable once Evans and Ambrose had guided Warwickshire past the follow-on mark of 452 shortly after lunch.
Wicketkeeper Ambrose top-edged a sweep to give spinner Peter Burgoyne his first wicket for Sussex, but Evans carried on his mammoth innings.
The 27-year-old surpassed his previous best first-class score of 178 to bring up his double century off 373 balls.
All 11 Sussex players bowled at least one over in Warwickshire's innings, including wicketkeeper Ben Brown.
Warwickshire director of cricket Dougie Brown:
"It was unfortunate that the game turned out the way it did with not just a draw but a stalemate draw.
"We chose to play on that pitch for the right reason. We thought it would turn so we could get our spinners again but it never happened that way. The pitch just got slower and slower.
"To be fair, our groundsman Gary Barwell warned us that a different pitch might be better to play on. It was our decision.
"It was frustrating but let's not take anything away from Laurie Evans and Tim Ambrose. They batted really well for a long period of time and that takes some doing whatever the conditions."
Sussex cricket manager Mark Robinson:
"We've got no complaints. Warwickshire intended to prepare a pitch which would bring Jeetan Patel into the game but it didn't work out that way. These things happen.
"The way it turned out it was a poor game and the pitch just got deader and deader but Warwickshire's intention was not to have a game like that.
"At least it gave out batters a chance to get some time out there and I'm pleased for them.
"They have had a tough time this season, playing on some difficult pitches and I have felt sorry for them for some of the stick they have taken."
