Nottinghamshire require a further 316 runs to defeat Warwickshire
An intriguing final day looms at Edgbaston after Nottinghamshire earned themselves an outside chance of salvation.
In the final reckoning, Nottinghamshire's impressive start to their seemingly impossible run chase should amount to no more than a frustrating hold-up on Warwickshire's route to victory. But there was something discomforting about the apparent ease with which two supposedly out-of-form batsmen dealt with Warwickshire bowlers in a tricky session of play last night.
Warwickshire remain over-whelming favourites, however. The visitors have reduced their original target of 404 down to 316 already, but such totals are rare at Edgbaston in the fourth innings. It couldn't happen. Could it?
If Nottinghamshire are victorious, it will be the second-highest fourth-innings total to win a Championship match at the ground. And although Warwickshire made 417 for two to defeat Glamorgan here in 1983, it was only after a first-innings forfeit. It would be an almost unprecedented effort.
Nottinghamshire did start well in reply last night, however. Already they have compiled their highest stand of the summer and Warwickshire's bowlers could find little of the spin and variable bounce that has been evident at other times in this match. The wet weather that reduced the day by 24 overs appeared to ease the conditions and the slow-paced surface allowed batsmen plenty of time to adjust. The hosts will be praying for sunshine today in the hope that the cracks on the pitch widen and crumble.
Darren Bicknell, who has not experienced an easy final season in the game, looked particularly solid and Warwickshire could yet come to rue Alex Loudon, at third slip, dropping a sharp chance off Jason Gallian, then on two, off the underbowled Neil Carter. Yorkshire, remember, scored 433 in the fourth innings of a game here in April, only to lose.
If Warwickshire do clinch their fifth win of the campaign today - as many as in the Championship-winning year of 2004 - they will have much reason to be grateful for the input of Mark Wagh.
This has not been the happiest season for Wagh (111 balls, nine fours, one six). Over-looked at the start, he has consequently failed to recover his most fluent form after a year on the sidelines and at a club where he doesn't appear to be universally appreciated.
Indeed, there are those who would see him depart before the end of his contract; claiming his performances have not warranted his relatively high salary. Despite the fact that this was just the second time in 15 Championship innings that he has passed 50, there will be no shortage of counties interested if he were to leave.
Yesterday, however, Wagh's intervention helped Warwickshire recover just as it appeared they may be about to allow Nottinghamshire back in the game.
One of the criticisms of Wagh has been that he doesn't make runs when it matters most. Yesterday, he proved such words to be nonsense.
Warwickshire lost three quick wickets in the morning. The pitch played very little role in any of them and, just as they faltered in their second innings against Sussex, Warwickshire's middle order again risked squandering a hefty advantage.
Nick Knight popped a sharply-turning off-break to short leg, Loudon misjudged the position of his back foot and was stumped and nightwatchman Anyon reached at a wide one only to edge it.
"Earn your money, Loudon," one spectator heckled as the batsman departed, clearly forgetting that the same man had bowled his side into a winning position less than 24 hours previously. Cricket can be a harsh game!
Including the previous night's travails, that meant Warwickshire had lost five for 32 and held a useful, but not imposing, lead of 255 with only four wickets in hand.
Wagh and Tim Ambrose stopped the rot. Defending with resolution, but latching on to anything wide, short or overpitched, the pair added 43 to take the sting out of the bowlers and lift the end target beyond comfortable reach.
Wagh, playing immaculately straight and with admirable patience, produced some lovely strokes. The six over long-on off the spin of Swann was a highlight, but there were a couple of cut, drives, pulls and slog-sweeps that reminded supporters of what a talent Wagh possesses. As a 29-year-old whose international aspirations appear to have vanished, he would appear an obvious choice as the club's next captain.
Although Ambrose missed an attempt at a slog-sweep, Heath Streak timed the ball as well as anyone. Driving particularly fluently, he helped Wagh add 103 for the eighth wicket, with both men only perishing in the race to set up a declaration.
"If they score 400 in the fourth innings, they'll deserve to have won," Wagh said phlegmatically afterwards. "They'll have to play bloody well not to lose and exception-ally well to win.
"I've felt in OK form for most of the summer. Perhaps my game isn't suited to the pitches, but I don't want to make any excuses. I haven't scored enough runs.
"I suppose in an ideal world I'd like to bat at No 3 but beggars can't be choosers, and I'll go wherever." * Dougie Brown responded to his omission from the Championship side in the best possible way on the penultimate day of the Second XI game against Northamptonshire at Stratford.
Brown compiled a determined century to earn his side the initiative, before nipping out two quick wickets in the evening session.
Brown's 117 (236 balls, 17 fours) provided the basis for Warwickshire's first-innings total of 375. Tim Groenewald followed his seven-wicket haul with the ball by making a quick 50 (58 balls, nine fours).
Starting their second innings with a deficit of 172, Northants progressed to 148 for four, with Brown taking two for 15 from nine overs. Adam Shantry (one for 34) and the somewhat rusty Lee Daggett (one for 23) were the other wicket-takers. Northants still require 24 runs to make Warwickshire bat again.
