HEREFORDSHIRE’S soggy Minor Counties Championship season was hit by one final deluge as they emerged from their game against Cheshire at Chester Boughton Hall with a draw.

Herefordshire were on 298- 9 in their first innings chasing Cheshire’s mammoth total of 476-9 when a heavy storm at lunchtime on the final day washed out any prospect of further play.

However, the points gained from the match lifted them off the foot of the Western Division table, one point ahead of wooden-spoonists Wales.

And the county club could also count as a positive, the performance of Brockhampton youngster Will Barrett who, on his county debut, went in as a nightwatchman towards the end of the second day and remained unbeaten on 77 when rain curtailed proceedings.

Cheshire had won the toss and elected to bat but then had to sit in the pavilion watching the rain for much of the first day.

They made up for their inactivity, however, when play resumed on the second morning, with Khalid Sawas crashing 24 fours and four sixes on his way to 164 from 40 balls.

Herefordshire struggled to stem the flow of runs but Nick Powell (3-114) and Dan Conway (3-95) emerged with some credit.

Dave Exall (32) and Danny Cox (39) posted 60 for the first Herefordshire wicket but, despite Steve Adshead finding some belated form, at 135-4 overnight, the county side were somewhat precariously placed.

Adshead continued to 78 on the final morning and also shared a fifthwicket stand of 78 with Barrett.

But wickets continued to go down regularly during the morning, despite Barrett, who hit 12 fours and a six in his 110-ball innings, standing firm.