County Championship: Warwickshire-Somerset game abandoned after overnight rain at Edgbaston

The longest-ever domestic English county cricket season came to an unexpectedly abrupt conclusion in Birmingham as Warwickshire and Somerset were forced to settle for a final-day draw.

Heavy overnight rain rendered any play impossible as both sides had to accept a last-day wash-out.

Although the weather was glorious in Birmingham, too much overnight rain had seeped on to an area of the outfield close to the main square.

After taking an early lunch at noon, umpires Paul Pollard and Ian Blackwell re-inspected, then took the reluctant early decision to terminate the contest.

But, in any case, there was little chance of forcing a positive result on a slow pitch.

Warwickshire, already guaranteed to finished fourth, take nine points from the game to end 13 points adrift of third-placed Hampshire.

Somerset, who take three points, cannot catch fifth-placed Lancashire - and earn some prize money.

They will now finish sixth, unless Nottinghamshire beat Middlesex.

Warwickshire coach Mark Robinson:

"It is very frustrating. Sometimes it just doesn't look right. We have had three days of play in grey, heavy, overcast clouds and then we have got bright sunshine and we are not able to get out there.

"It wasn't for the want of trying. Gary Barwell, our groundsman, was in at the ground at six o'clock this morning doing everything he could to get the game on.

"We were willing - we have had a mantra all year to try and be as aggressive and positive as possible, and to try to chase and seek a win as much as we can, and that was around all our conversations this morning.

"But the umpires saw the conditions as not fit and there is nothing else we can do."

Somerset captain Tom Abell:

Obviously it is an anti-climax and not how any of us would want to finish the season, but there are areas over the far side of the square that are like a bog.

"It is a lovely day and the temptation was to try and get some cricket this afternoon but we were all in agreement that it was unfit and probably unsafe.

"We had lengthy discussions because we wanted to try and get some play, but ultimately the reality is that the field was unfit and very boggy in certain areas.

"It is obviously not ideal and I know there is frustration among the spectators but the ground has been taken a lot of rain over the last three weeks and there was a lot of overnight rain so it is a safety issue."