Battling centuries from Alexei Kervezee and Aadi Sharma enabled Bucks to recover from a big first-innings deficit to earn a draw in their National Counties Championship Division 1 match against Lincolnshire at Sleaford 

The defending champions conceded a first-innings lead of 149 to their hosts, and when they  slumped to 3-3 in their second knock, a defeat in two days was a strong possibility.

But the experienced Kervezee and the 18-year-old Sharma resisted with a fourth-wicket stand of 187 in 46 overs.

Sharma scored 103 from 144 balls to make it centuries in successive Championship matches following his ton in last year's final victory over Devon 

Kervezee, who had earlier been forced to don the wicket-keeping gloves following the late withdrawal of Ross Richardson, went on to score 165 from 232 balls with a six and 18 fours as Bucks attempted to set a stiff fourth-innings target.

He was assisted by Cam Parsons's second half-century of the match as Bucks reached 393 from 93 overs in their second innings. This set Lincs a target of 245 for victory but they made little attempt and finished on 106-3 from 39 overs to earn 12 points to Bucks's 8.

The first half of the match belonged to Lincolnshire. Bucks, choosing to bat first, slumped to 75-6 before Parsons (59) led a recovery that lifted them to 220.

The hosts sailed past this score thanks to a brilliant 154 from Tom Keast and 126 from Ben Wight in a third-wicket stand of 257 in 64 overs. At one stage they were 313-2 but were restricted to 369-8 from their 90 overs.

Although time was lost to the weather, it was the resolution of Kervezee and Sharma that earned Bucks a draw.

Scorecard 

Bucks now take on Suffolk at Tring Park, starting this Sunday, for which they have named the same squad including Richardson