Jack Haynes was denied the chance of completing his maiden first-class century in the cruellest of fashions as Worcestershire CCC dramatically claimed four batting points on the final day of the drawn LV=Insurance County Championship match with Warwickshire at Edgbaston.
The England Under-19 player resumed on 52 not out and had moved onto 87 when he was run out at the non-striker’snon-striker’s end.
Ed Barnard straight drove a delivery from Warwickshire seamer Liam Norwell, and he deflected the ball onto the stumps with Haynes, who had been backing up, inches out of his ground.
It was an unfortunate end to a knock of great maturity from the 20-year-old in his first senior game of the campaign.
Barnard looked crestfallen as Haynes slowly walked off, and it surely won’t be long before he reaches three figures with his undoubted potential, class and ability.
But his dismissal did not halt Worcestershire’sWorcestershire’s momentum, and, thanks mainly to 76 not out from Barnard, they went onto reach 350 inside the 110 overs with two balls to spare – another splendid batting performance.
It meant they collected a total of 14 points from their fifth successive drawn game – two for bowling, four for batting and eight for a share of the spoils.
Haynes faced a total of 211 balls and struck 12 boundaries in a knock spanning more than four and a half hours.
He is certainly getting used to spending lengthier spells in the middle after his 165 for the Seconds last week in their Championship match with Lancashire at Stourport.
Haynes added 61 for the seventh wicket with Barnard, who once again made a significant contribution with the bat.
The England Lions player is full of confidence after scoring his maiden Championship hundred against Essex at Chelmsford in the season’s opening game.
His 101 ball innings contained ten fours when Club Captain Joe Leach declared at 364-8 – a lead of 21.
Alzarri Joseph picked up two wickets as Warwickshire closed on 70-3 from 25 overs after the two sides shook hands.
Worcestershire resumed on 198-4 after the complete wash-out of the third day had effectively meant the final day was all about collecting as many bonus points as possible.
The County suffered an early setback when Warwickshire dismissed Riki Wessels in the opening over of the day without adding to his overnight 17 as he edged Tim Bresnan to Sam Hain, who held onto a high head chance at second slip.
Ben Cox was full of attacking intent in striking 23 off 33 balls with four fours.
Warwickshire took the second new ball at 220-5 after 80 overs, and Cox was lbw to Olly Hannon-Dalby from a delivery that was angled back in.
Haynes cover-drove Norwell for four and collected a further two boundaries from successive deliveries off the same bowler.
Barnard also looked in good touch, and a cover drive to the ropes off Hannon-Dalby was one of several fine strokes that found the boundary.
After Haynes’sHaynes’s unfortunate dismissal at 289-7, Barnard and new batsman Joseph were intent on reaching 350 within the 110 overs.
Joseph smashed spinner Danny Briggs straight back down the ground for six, and Hannon-Dalby was also deposited through mid-off for four.
Barnard completed an excellent half-century off only 79 balls with six fours after turning Briggs for a single on the offside.
Joseph made a run a ball 17 before he perished in the deep off Briggs, going for another big hit at 337-8.
Eight runs were needed off the final over for a fourth batting point from Hannon-Dalby and, after two dot balls, Barnard cover drove the third delivery for four.
The 350 came up with two balls to spare when Barnard went for a pull, and the ball raced away to the boundary – not exactly where he intended but invaluable nonetheless.
Barnard then made sure Warwickshire did not claim the ninth wicket needed to secure a third bowling point, and the 110 overs ended on 350-8.
When Warwickshire batted for a second time, Leach made an early breakthrough as Rob Yates (5) nibbled at a delivery which left him and was caught behind.
Joseph came on first change, and Pieter Malan (28) was smartly caught by Wessels at first slip away to his right.
The West Indian paceman struck again when Rhodes (25) carved a delivery to Barnard at backward point and finished with 2-22.
