Hain ends lean streak with century in Edgbaston draw

WARWICKSHIRE batsman Sam Hain ended his lean streak in four-day cricket with a commanding century against Hampshire as their Specsavers County Championship match drifted to a draw at Edgbaston.

Hain went into this match with just 158 runs from 12 championship innings this season, but took advantage of a placid pitch to play with increasing confidence on his way to 135 (220 balls, 16 fours, one six) - his seventh first-class century.

Hain and Tim Ambrose (104, 190 balls, 11 fours, one six) added 223 in 57 overs for the fifth-wicket as Warwickshire finished on 398 for six in reply to the visitors' 531, meaning that Hampshire had to settle for a draw after dominating the first two days and seeing the third washed out.

Warwickshire batted steadily through the last day for the loss of just Jonathan Trott (68, 142 balls, eight fours), who fell to a brilliant leg-side stumping by Lewis McManus off Gareth Berg, and the two century-makers.

In a week which will conclude with his 21st birthday on Saturday, Hain was delighted to have secured a century which he reached in the grand manner - with a six.

"With the form I have been in this season in red-ball cricket I don't think I have ever been as nervous before as when I was in the 90s," he said.

"It was definitely nerve-racking, especially having just been hit on the head in the 90s, but I was really pleased to have got there in the end.

"I have spoken to quite a few of the senior players this season to get a bit of help from them because it's quite tough when you're young and playing in all three formats and it's just not happening for you in one.

"I have definitely learned a lot from this season because I have never really had a prolonged run without scoring runs before. But there are a lot of matches still to play so I've just got to kick on from this and hopefully there are a lot more runs to come."

For Hampshire, meanwhile, there was frustration after piling up such an imposing total on the first two days.

The loss of the whole third day to rain scuppered any realistic hopes they had of forcing victory, although the pitch was so batsman-friendly that a draw always looked the likely outcome.