Bell falls cheaply in draw

Doshi claimed the wicket of Ian Bell © Getty Images

Ian Bell missed out on the chance to spend time in the middle ahead of next week's opening Test when he was dismissed for 28 in Warwickshire's draw with Derbyshire.

The England batsman had the perfect opportunity to get in some practice after Derbyshire had set Warwickshire an unlikely target of 378 in 69 overs at Derby.

Only four of those had been bowled when Bell came out to bat on a warm, muggy day but he made only 28 before he fell to slow left-arm spinner Nayan Doshi.

Derbyshire scented victory when they had the visitors 59 for three but Jonathan Trott and Michael Powell dug in to steer their side to safety and the game ended in a draw with Warwickshire on 160 for four.

The home side had surprisingly batted on for most of the morning to extend the overnight lead of 283 by another 94 runs in an hour and 40 minutes before declaring on 417 for six.

Freddie Klokker, who celebrated his maiden championship century, scored only 24 runs in that time and it was left to Jon Clare with an unbeaten 64 from 59 balls to provide the momentum.

Derbyshire called a halt when Klokker cut James Anyon for his eighth four to reach his hundred and that left them two sessions to bowl Warwickshire out.

The fact that skipper Rikki Clarke could not bowl because of a bruised thumb which left them with only four front-line bowlers was probably a factor in Derbyshire's decision to bat on.

They needed early wickets to put Warwickshire under pressure and Charl Langeveldt obliged when he tempted Ian Westwood into fencing at a wide delivery and Chris Rogers grabbed the edge at second slip after John Sadler had knocked the ball up at third.

Bell launched his innings with a resounding pull to the midwicket boundary off Tom Lungley and he hit four more fours before he went for a cut at Doshi and was well caught by Steve Stubbings at slip.

Warwickshire suffered another blow when skipper Darren Maddy, who had been dropped at slip on 15, was snared at silly mid off for 23 but Trott and Powell showed the application required to frustrate Derbyshire.

The fourth wicket pair batted well into the final session and although Doshi wheeled away from the city end for 23 overs, Derbyshire could not get the wickets which might have sparked some panic in the visitors’ dressing room.

The match was already heading for stalemate when Powell was dropped by Klokker, keeping wicket for the injured Jamie Pipe, and although he went two overs later for 35 when he edged Clare, he had done his job.

Trott and former Derbyshire all-rounder Ant Botha survived another seven overs before the teams shook hands with 12 overs still to bowl.

Trott had defied the bowlers for 40 overs and his unbeaten 45 completed an impressive match for the right-hander who scored a century in the first innings.