BUCKS had to settle for a draw after the final day of their opening Unicorns Counties Championship match against Hertfordshire at Bishops Stortford on Tuesday was washed out.

Heavy overnight rain made conditions unplayable and the Eastern Division match was abandoned.

Bucks

gained a first innings lead of 35 runs, but the hosts were 156-1 in the second innings - an overall lead of 121 - when the match was called off.

Choosing to bat first, Hertfordshire made 257-9 from 90 overs in their first innings, being rescued by an unbeaten tenth-wicket stand between Jigar Mehta (32no) and Ben Waring (30no).

Skipper Tom Hampton was the most successful bowler with 3-60, while Cameron Parsons returned 2-45.

The Bucks reply centred around a studied innings of 89 by AJ Woodland.

The Tring Park left-hander toiled for four hours, hitting one six and seven fours before falling 11 runs short of his maiden Championship century. He sunk to his haunches in disappointment after chipping a catch to cover.

Woodland shared third-wicket partnership of 103 with Charlie Macdonell, who hit seven fours in his 62, while lively innings from Michael Payne (43), Garry Park (35) and Robin Pritchard (30no), who hit five sixes between them, lifted Bucks to 292-7 from their 90 overs - lead of 35.

In the three hours that remained on the second day, Hertfordshire reached 156-1 thanks to an unbroken century stand between Dominic Chatfield (63no) and Harry Ellison (68o).

The match looked like being a draw on the docile pitch, but the weather ended any chance of a result.

The next Bucks three-day match is against Suffolk at High Wycombe from July 7-9.