London, May 18: India's dashing opening batsman Virender Sehwag and a burst of evening shower enabled Leicestershire to force a draw in their four-day frizzle county championship tie against Surrey at the Oval yesterday evening. Despite Sehwag's masterly 81, Leicestershire, who had conceded a first innings lead of 360, were 185 for eight when a burst of heavy shower foiled surrey's hopes of victory.
There were fewer than 100 spectators and their patience deserved something special.
Sehwag, who is not a subtle player, scored his 81 off 84 balls and there were 15 violent fours.
"He is something special," 'The Independent' described him today.
When Leicestershire resumed their second innings, the score-line had a bizarre look to it. They were 32 for two and all the runs were scored by Sehwag, who had added 18 in 20 balls in the five overs possible on Friday.
His partner, Darren Maddy, had yet to get off the mark, despite having faced 24 balls. By the time he produced his first scoring shot, a nicely timed drive that went for four, he had been at the wicket for 45 minutes.
But from that point, Sehwag, playing his first championship match for Leicestershire, and Maddy showed none of the ambivalence that characterised their efforts in the first innings and scored at a pace and with a style that introduced an element of doubt over the certainty of a surrey victory. Bureau Report