Brilliant Bears pull of thrilling win over Pears
Warwickshire pulled off the third biggest run-chase in their history to record a sensational five-wicket County Championship victory over Worcestershire at Edgbaston.Second best for the first three days, on the fourth, Warwickshire chased down a target of 393, reaching 396-5 thanks to Zen Malik (142), Beau Webster (100 not out), Dan Mousley (69) and Kai Smith (48 not out).As the sun came out for the first time in the match and batting conditions eased, they delivered a remarkable recovery from 12-2 the previous evening.Malik unfurled a high-class career-best while Australian all-rounder Webster, in control from his first ball faced, was just as pivotal to the triumph.It was a real heartbreaker for Worcestershire as a victory which would have galvanised their survival fight turned into a defeat which shunts them to the brink of Division Two.Twenty-three days earlier at Southampton, Worcestershire needed to take seven Hampshire wickets on the last day and took only one.This time they needed to take eight and found just three. That inability to close out winning positions will almost certainly cost them their first division status.Warwickshire resumed on the final morning on 55-2 and, to their delight, the thick cloud that sat over Edgbaston for the first three days had departed. Batting was at its easiest all game and Mousley and Malik applied themselves diligently to deny the visitors early impetus from a wicket.Mousley, recalled to the championship side due to Sam Hain's paternity leave, reached 50 from 89 balls and a long overdue maiden championship century beckoned when he reverse-swept Bertie Foreman to short third man.Malik chugged on with immaculate concentration while Webster restrained his attacking instincts to launch another productive partnership. When Malik struck Bertie Foreman for 10 in two balls to take the total halfway to the target, the home crowd's thoughts started to turn towards an unlikely win.Malik reached his second first-class century (156 balls) with a six over the well-peppered short Hollies-side boundary. Webster followed to his half-century from 103 balls and Warwickshire went into tea on 267-3, needing 126 from 35 overs.Malik skied Ethan Brookes to long on, Ed Barnard edged Tom Taylor behind in the first over with the new ball, but Smith joined Webster to work the ball astutely around the big field to add an unbroken 84 in 11.2 overs.The unlikeliest of victories ultimately arrived with 82 balls to spare, and Warwickshire's exhilaration was as great as Worcestershire's desolation.
Report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network, supported by Rothesay
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