Powell denies Leicestershire

Michael Powell's dogged 68 ensured Warwickshire drew with Leicestershire

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Michael Powell emerged from a poor run of form to make his biggest score of the season and earn Warwickshire a draw against Leicestershire in the LV County Championship Division Two game at Grace Road.

Warwickshire, following on 165 runs behind, successfully came through the final day - losing only three wickets and reaching 169 for three when the teams shook hands on a draw.

Powell top scored with a gritty unbeaten 68 off 213 balls - only his second half-century of the season but a valuable one for his side under the circumstances.

Early morning rain delayed the start by half an hour, with the visitors resuming on 19 without loss.

But former Leicestershire favourite Darren Maddy was out without further addition to the score in the second over of the day - trapped leg before wicket by Tom Smith with a delivery which kept low.

On a slow and flat pitch it was hard work for both batsmen and bowlers. There was little in it for either the seamers or spinners while the batsmen struggled to push the run rate much beyond two an over.

Leicestershire did claim a second wicket shortly before lunch with the total on 64, when Navdeep Poonia was trapped lbw by 17-year-old Joshua Cobb with a quicker ball.

That brought in Jonathan Trott - who joined Powell in a third-wicket partnership of 33 before edging a catch to wicketkeeper Paul Nixon off a delivery from left-arm spinner Claude Henderson which unexpectedly bounced.

But that proved to be Leicestershire's final success in the game as Powell and James Troughton both batted with great concentration and discipline to share an unbroken stand of 72 in 37 overs.

Powell reached his 50 off 154 balls with six fours and Troughton made 34 not out off 102 balls.

Three leg-byes took Warwickshire into the lead soon after tea - and having claimed the new ball for one over without success - the sides agreed on a declaration, allowing the game to finish in a draw with 15 overs remaining.

It summed up the nature of the pitch that 35 of the 81 overs were maidens and Henderson had figures of one wicket for 23 runs off 26 overs.

Leicestershire took 12 points from the match and second in the table Warwickshire had to settle for eight.