Virender Sehwag got many starts for Leicestershire, but it took him six innings in the Frizzell County Championship to score his first hundred – which came within a single session
Wisden CricInfo staff28-Jun-2003Virender Sehwag got many starts for Leicestershire, but it took him six innings in the Frizzell County Championship to score his first hundred – which came within a single session. His next, against Middlesex, was also at over a run-a-ball pace, as he injected a one-day urgency into the longer version of the game. While many of his starts went unconverted, he turned in some useful performances in the Twenty20 Cup, where he demonstrated his usefulness with the ball, and helped Leicestershire win all of their first five matches.
Leicestershire averagesJuly 19 Twenty20 Cup Semi-final
Leicestershire lost to Warwickshire by 7 wicketsVirender Sehwag’s last Twenty20 innings of the season lasted just three balls as Waqar Younis dismissed him for 5 in the semi-final. Leicestershire managed to put up a competitive score of 162, but Warwickshire overhauled it quite comfortably, with four balls and seven wickets to spare.
Scorecard ReportJuly 13 National Cricket League
Leicestershire beat Worcestershire by 76 runsA comfortable victory for Leicestershire. Trevor Ward, with 68, and Virender Sehwag – who slammed three sixes in a blistering 59-ball 76 – gave Leicestershire the perfect start, while Darren Maddy provided the late innings-momentum with 58. Stephen Peters anchored the reply with 82, but Worcestershire were never on the ball as Jeremy Snape and David Brignull both finished with three wickets.
Scorecard ReportJuly 9-12 Frizzell County Championship
Leicestershire lost to Middlesex by eight wicketsMiddlesex piled up 620 in their first innings, and Leicestershire began their reply in style. Sehwag smashed 130 off 111 balls, hitting 20 fours and four sixes in the process. All to no avail, as Leicestershire, despite making 447, still had to follow on. Sehwag made just 13 in the second innings, but a draw still seemed possible as Leicestershire set Middlesex a target of 163 from 27 overs. But Andrew Strauss smashed a 67-ball 73 to give Middlesex an eight-wicket win.
Scorecard ReportJuly 2-5 Frizzell County Championship
Leicestershire drew with WarwickshireSehwag, much as he does for India sometimes in Test cricket, played the longer version of the game as if it was a one-day biff-about. He smashed 30 off 21 in the first innings and a run-a-ball 40 in the second, but did not play the big innings that could have won the game for his side. A combative second-innings century from Sehwag’s fellow overseas professional, Brad Hodge, gave Leicestershire a sniff at victory, but eventually the game drifted to a draw.
Scorecard ReportJune 27-30 Frizzell County Championship
Leicestershire drew with NottinghamshireSehwag’s first century of the season was a blistering 137, off just 151 balls and included an incredible 25 fours, but Leicestershire were finally saved by rain, which washed out the entire last day’s play. Sehwag scored 56% of his team’s total of 243, but Leicestershire conceded a first-innings lead of 83, and needed 402 to win in the fourth innings, when rain intervened.
Scorecard ReportJune 24 Twenty20 Cup
Leicestershire beat Derbyshire by 1 runSehwag made 15 off 12 as Leicestershire batted first and hit up 171 in their 20 overs. Sehwag’s Indian team-mate, Mohammad Kaif, was at the forefront of a thrilling run-chase, but Derbyshire eventually fell short by 1 run. Five wins in five games for Leicestershire.
Scorecard ReportJune 22 National Cricket League
Leicestershire beat Yorkshire by 18 runsAnother good outing for Sehwag, who hit 65 off 80 balls, adding 126 for the second wicket with fellow overseas pro, Australia’s Brad Hodge, who made 104. Leicestershire ended with 251, and despite Yuvraj Singh’s aggressive 50 off 46 balls, Yorkshire ended up on the losing side.
Scorecard ReportJune 21 Twenty20 Cup
Leicestershire beat Nottinghamshire by 1 wicketFirst, Sehwag took 2 for 19 in four overs as Nottinghamshire were restricted to a gettable 158; then, for the second match in a row, he made 26 off 17 to get Leicestershire off the blocks quickly. It was a sterling performance, and the fourth win in four Twenty20 matches for Leicestershire.
Scorecard ReportJune 20 Twenty20 Cup
Leicestershire beat Lancashire by 22 runsSehwag got Leicestershire off to a quick start with 26 off 17, as they piled up 178 in their 20 overs. Sehwag wasn’t required to bowl, as Lancashire were never really in the chase.
Scorecard ReportJune 18 Twenty20 Cup
Leicestershire beat Durham by 46 runsSehwag finally turned in a matchwinning performance for Leicestershire – with ball, not with bat. He made 14 off 11 as Leicestershire made 168 for 9 in their 20 overs, but then bowled magnificently to take 3 for 14 in three overs at the end. Brad Hodge with 64 off 44 and 1 for 19 pipped him to the man-of-the-match award.
Scorecard ReportJune 16 Twenty20 Cup
Leicestershire beat Yorkshire by 16 runsSehwag made a first-ball duck in his debut in the Twenty20 Cup, but Leicestershire won handily, aided by a fine allround performance by Brad Hodge (97 off 61 and 3 for 6 in two overs). This was Sehwag’s second duck in a row, and once more his side had won.
Scorecard ReportJune 15 National Cricket League
Leicestershire beat Worcestershire by 2 wicketsSehwag made a fourth-ball duck, but Leicestershire were chasing only 194, and they won comfortably.
Scorecard ReportJune 14 Tour match
Leicestershire lost to Pakistan by 5 wicketsSehwag made 19 off 28, as Leicestershire reached 231 for 7 in their 50 overs. He then bowled five overs and took 0 for 35 as Pakistan won with 19 balls to spare.
Scorecard ReportJune 10 C&G Trophy
Leicestershire lost to Worcestershire by 75 runsA horrid match for Sehwag. Chasing 217, Leicestershire could only make 141 – Sehwag’s contribution in that was 2 off 17 balls. Worcestershire progressed to the semi-final of the C&G Trophy.
Scorecard ReportJune 4-7 Frizzell County Championship
Leicestershire lost to Lancashire by 10 wicketsLancashire sailed to a comfortable victory here, in a match that was a nondescript outing for Sehwag. After Lancashire had amassed 503, Leicestershire made 314, of which Sehwag’s contribution was 30 off 44. Leicestershire followed on, and Sehwag made just 5 in the second innings, after slipping down the order to No. 4.
Scorecard ReportJune 1 National Cricket League
Leicestershire lost to Gloucestershire by 3 wicketsLeicestershire batted first, Sehwag made 14, and the team ended up on 234 off their 45 overs. Gloucestershire overhauled the total with 8 balls to spare.
Scorecard ReportMay 28 C&G Trophy
Leicestershire beat Nottinghamshire by 99 runsSehwag gave Leicestershire, who were put in to bat, a crackling start with a lusty 56 off 51 balls, including 10 fours and a six. Leicestershire made 258, and won easily by 99 runs, as Phil DeFreitas took a superb 3 for 20 in his 10 overs, snatching the man-of-the-match award from Sehwag.
Scorecard ReportMay 21-24 Frizzell County Championship
Leicestershire drew with MiddlesexAn uneventful outing for Sehwag, who made just 10 in the only innings in which he batted. Rain spoilt all chances of a result, or even Sehwag batting twice.
Scorecard ReportMay 18 National Cricket League
Leicestershire beat Yorkshire by 66 runsSehwag was in fine touch, smashing 54 off 70 balls to give Leicestershire just the start they needed. They racked up 247 in their 45 overs, and won comfortably by 66 runs.
Scorecard ReportMay 14-17 Frizell County Championship
Leicestershire drew with SurreySehwag failed in the first innings of this game, making just 2 as Leicestershire collapsed to 200. In reply, Surrey made 560. Up against the wall, Sehwag then smashed a fiesty 81 off 84 balls, and though the wickets continued tumbling after he was out, rain allowed his side to escape with a draw.
Scorecard ReportMay 7 C&G Trophy
Leicestershire beat Northumberland by 90 runsSehwag missed a golden opportunity to pile up some easy runs against minnows Northumberland. Leicestershire batted first and Sehwag, opening the batting, was out for a quick 16. The rest of the game was surprisingly low-scoring, as Leicestershire made 182 and still managed to win by 90 runs.
Scorecard ReportMay 5 National Cricket League
Leicestershire lost to Gloucestershire by 57 runsOne day after his debut for Leicestershire, Sehwag played his second game and, once again, failed. Gloucestershire batted first and amassed 311, and a good start from Sehwag was essential if Leicestershire were to be in the chase. Alas, he made just 1.
Scorecard ReportMay 4 National Cricket League
Leicestershire lost to Glamorgan by 44 runsVirender Sehwag arrived in England at seven a.m. on the day of this game and was promptly picked to make his debut for Leicestershire. Glamorgan batted first, put up 249 in their 45 overs, and then Sehwag went out to open the innings. He made a typically carefree 23, with four thunderous boundaries, before getting out trying to force the pace further.
Scorecard Report