Seamer White gets deserved rewards but County clash heading for a draw
Seamer Jack White admits Northants' LV- County Championship clash with Warwickshire looks to be 'heading for a draw' after the reigning champions batted out day three.
Replying to Northants' 451 all out, Warwickshire resumed on 71 for one and although the County attack ran in hard all day, the Bears closed on 396 for eight from 143 overs - just 55 runs behind.
White was the pick of the Northants' bowlers, claiming four for 62 from 27 overs, while there were also wickets for Tom Taylor, Josh Cobb, Rob Keogh and Simon Kerrigan - who bagged his first scalp of the season.
England opener Dom Sibley proved to be the main obstacle for the County, grinding his way to 102 from 273 balls, while there were also half-centuries for Michael Burgess and Nathan McAndrew.
With just one day remaining, something dramatic is going to have to happen for either side to claim a win on a flat pitch, and White admitted: "It was a tough day.
"I think everyone bowled well and controlled the rate and it was good to pick up a few.
“The pitch didn’t do too much, a few nipped but there was no swing really – it was pretty flat.
"You have to keep chopping and changing, trying to make something happen and I think we did that quite well.
“We went out there after tea thinking ‘let’s crack on, get a couple more and we’re in’.
"But as always on a flat wicket, it’s tough and they came out and batted well.
“It looks like it’s heading for a draw but you never know, both teams will keep trying.”
Warwickshie's Australian import McAndrew, who ended the day on 54 not out to record his maiden County Championship half-century, is also anticipating a stalemate.
“After the first innings, when we didn’t bowl too well, we were pretty far behind the game, but I thought Dom Sibley batted beautifully up top and then Michael Burgess as well," he said.
“Michael’s a really attacking player and I like to go for my shots as well, so naturally we were going to have a bit of intent and on wickets like that you have to.
“It can be a bit boring at times when it’s just slow, straight and hard to score. You’ve got to have that intent to cash in on the bad balls.
“The main objective was to avoid the follow-on and make sure we didn’t give them a chance to crack open the game.
"We got past that target, which was crucial, getting to a position where it’s probably going to be a draw and not a loss.”
Play on day four at Wantage Road is due to start at 11am.