Half-centurion Gareth Roderick says his side must keep the fact they are just “eight good balls away” from a memorable away win at the forefront of their mind, with Warwickshire 55-2 in pursuit of 393 heading into the final day at Edgbaston.
The keeper-batter stood up when it mattered most for his side, recording a vital fifty at the top of the order, in an opening stand of 80 with Jake Libby, as his side went on to make 243 in their second-innings.
Ethan Brookes starred once again with a superb 87, after the Pears had fallen to 121-4, as he and Adam Finch added 91 for the ninth-wicket, setting their opponents a mammoth 393 to win.
Roderick, said the day shifted in momentum throughout, but the wicket is offering encouragement as the bowlers go into the final day needing eight-wickets for a crucial win in the side’s bid for Rothesay County Championship Division One survival.
“Yeah, ebbs and flows throughout the whole day, different teams on top at different times, but thankfully, due to Ethan’s first innings knock, and then Ethan again today, we found ourselves going into day four in a decent position.
“It was a strange period. I thought they bowled pretty well throughout. I think it looked like there was some indifferent bounce in the wicket for a period there.
“So hopefully that’s something that happens tomorrow, and we can be on the on the benefiting side of that in that early session tomorrow.
“Maybe it’s just the wear and tear of the wicket, but hopefully tomorrow that we see some of that.
“I’m not sure if they stuck a heavy roller on it, but it looked a little bit more placid in the evening there. Hopefully tomorrow it deteriorates a little bit and we we can get some wickets.”
After a tough early season run in the four-day competition, Roderick followed up his 80 against Hampshire in the previous outing, with another fifty in this match, securing his third half-century of the campaign.
Despite that, Roderick said he still isn’t at his fluent best, but was relieved to contribute for his side and lay the platform at the top of the order, where he hopes the bowlers can kick on tomorrow to make something special happen.
“I don’t feel great, but yeah, I am battling away.
“It’s nice to contribute. Obviously, hopeful that it leads to something tomorrow for the boys. They’re working hard. Yeah, 96 overs, basically, to take eight wickets. That’s it.
“We keep saying, just eight good balls. We started really well with the ball there, hopefully tomorrow in that first hour, we can make hay and get some inroads.”
