Rothesay County Championship Division One, Edgbaston (day four)
Sussex 528: Simpson 181*, Clark 140 & 313-7 dec: Alsop 82*; Yates 3-79
Warwickshire 454: Yates 115 & 104-2: Yates 65*
Warwickshire (14 pts) drew with Sussex (15 pts)
Warwickshire began this season as they played out most of last season at Edgbaston - with a draw, this time against newly promoted Sussex.
The Bears drew all their first five County Championship matches in 2024, before ending the campaign in far more dramatic fashion with an innings victory over Kent, followed by an innings defeat by Essex.
But they reverted back into 'draw' mode again once Sussex, in their first match back in the top flight since 2015, had opted not to try and set the Bears a realistic target on a docile pitch.
Having resumed on 126-3 in their second innings, with a lead of 200, there was still something to play for on day four - and the wicket of Sussex first-innings centurion John Simpson for 22 on the stroke of lunch did potentially breathe life into the game.
Warwickshire's first-innings centurion Rob Yates, who has now become more than a part-time spinner, bowled unchanged until 10 minutes before lunch, tidily taking three of the Sussex wickets to fall.
At that point, the visitors led by 288, with 66 overs left. But they instead delayed their declaration until they had reached 313-7, setting the injury-hit Bears a highly improbable target of 388 in 44 overs.
- Warwickshire and Sussex appear destined for draw
- Batters shine between Warwickshire & Sussex
- Promoted Sussex dominate against Bears at Edgbaston
Warwickshire made no attempt to go for victory, although Sussex did briefly cause a little alarm when West Indies paceman Jaydon Seales trapped Bears skipper Alex Davies and spinner Jack Carson bowled Hamza Sheikh.
But Yates (65 not out) and Sam Hain (26 not out) otherwise saw it out calmly as the Bears closed on 104-2.
Yates' half-century took his tally of runs for the match to 179 - second only to Simpson's 203, also for just once out.
Warwickshire, who gave debuts to four players, Ethan Bamber, Vishwa Fernando, Kai Smith and Taz Ali - now head to Chester-le-Street on Friday to face Durham, while Sussex will host their first home game since promotion against Somerset at Hove.
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