County Championship: Bears-Pears ends in weather-hit Edgbaston draw

Promoted Worcestershire's local derby game with Warwickshire ended in a predictable draw as the weather had the better of the final day at Edgbaston.

After a morning of mopping up and drying out, the final day's play did not get underway until 13:25 BST when the Pears resumed on their overnight 237-2.

But only 19 overs were possible, during which vice-captain Jake Libby reached the 17th first-class century of his career, but his first at Edgbaston.

After the loss of the last session the previous day, that took too much time out of the match for Brett D'Oliveira's side to capitalise on the decent position they had built, largely through local Birmingham-based South Asian Cricket Academy product Kashif Ali's two centuries in the match.

Worcestershire, who have again been allotted two successive away games to start the season with as a result of their ongoing home flooding issues, now go to Trent Bridge on Friday to face a Nottinghamshire side containing four ex-Pears players.

Warwickshire will again be at home against Durham at Edgbaston. But they will again be missing star batting turn Sam Hain (personal reasons) and injured fast bowler Liam Norwell.

Warwickshire head coach Mark Robinson told BBC Radio WM:

"The groundstaff did a great job to get a game on but conditions were difficult for the bowlers. They struggled in the wind and with soft take-off points but Worcestershire's probably coped a little bit better than ours.

"We haven't been where we want to be during this match. Our prep was affected because we lost one player the day before the game and another one on the morning of the game. Liam Norwell will not be available for a while. He has an injury which we are looking into to get a bit of clarity.

"The good news, if you can have good news about an injury, is that it is not the disc in his back that has been the problem in the past.

"With regard to Sam Hain, I don't know if he will be available for the next game. We will give him all the time and space he needs."

Worcestershire captain Brett D'Oliveira:

"There was a bit to weigh up in terms of a declaration. It was a shame that the last session on the third day was washed out because that could have really set the game up.

"But, with the Kookaburra ball and short boundary and a bit of a docile pitch we thought the variables were against us.

"Kashif Ali had a really special game. I am excited by the journey ahead of him.

"And our overseas guys have fitted in really well. Jason Holder is brilliant for me as a captain to have to bounce ideas off. And Nathan Smith is a highly talented bowler who has already showed what he can do."