Going into the final day of this game, Essex were 229 runs behind, knowing the desperate need of draw points to keep the Championship title in their sights after Somerset beat Yorkshire inside three days to go top.
Jeetan Patel was the main threat in the morning session, as he picked up three wickets in the conclusion of Essex’s first innings, the other one coming from Henry Brookes who bowled the centurion Westley for 141.
Skipper Patel dismissed Wheater edging to short leg, where Hain took a good catch, and then two balls later he bowled Harmer, sending his leg stump out the ground, giving him his fifth wicket of the innings.
His sixth wicket of the match came when Beard edged to Banks in the slips for 20, this his fourth 5-wicket haul this Championship season.
Just as Somerset had two days previously, Essex missed out on a bonus point by 1 run! This time the 110th over ticking over as Beard failed in his need for 1 run off 3 balls to reach 300, which they reached the very next ball.
With Essex 193 runs behind, Warwickshire enforced the follow on promptly to try and force a victory, which got off to a dream Bears start with George Garrett, an academy graduate playing in just his second game got a wicket in the first over. Nick Browne edged a delivery into the fielder of the day, Banks who took a low catch to dismiss the opener.
However, this was where the luck finished for the hosts, as Alaistar Cook used his whole wealth of experience, alongside Tom Westley to show excellent resilience against the Bears’ bowlers to deny Warwickshire a result. They shared a partnership of 157 with consummate ease.
Westley however, on the brink of the draw hit one straight to Patel to give Matt Lamb a wicket, as the centurion from the first innings walked back for 97, after looking nailed on to make a century in both innings.
As the clock struck 4:30pm, hands were shaken and a draw was taken from the game.
Somerset are now 8 points clear at the top of the table, with Essex in second place, and with two weeks remaining in the season it could certainly be an exciting finish in Division One of the County Championship!
