BY PAUL BOLTON & CONRAD SUTCLIFFE
CONNER Haddow spun Buckinghamshire to their second NCCA Cluberly Championship title in three seasons with a record-breaking performance in the final at West Bromwich Dartmouth.
The slow left-armer took nine for 73 in the second innings, the best figures in an innings and in a match – 16 for 143 – in Championship final.
Haddow’s match figures bettered the 15 for 54 that the great S F Barnes took for Staffordshire against Glamorgan in the 1908 final at the County Ground in Stoke and they were also the best figures in the competition since George Walker took 16 for 96 against Cambridgeshire at Horsford in 2009. Haddow also bettered his best bowling in an innings for the second time in the match.
Haddow enjoyed himself on a pitch that took spin from an early stage and took all but one of his wickets from the Birmingham Road End. Batters may not have enjoyed facing Haddow but it made for a gripping contest which finished just before the forecast rain arrived. It was finished with four sessions to spare but, with a pessimistic forecast for Tuesday night and into Wednesday, it meant that the prospect of the title being shared for a second year running was avoided.
Haddow’s performance eclipsed that of his fellow left-armer Callum Harvey who also improved on his career-best figures for the second time in 48 hours with his six for 40 giving him match figures of 12 for 100, another personal best.
At the time they were the best match figures in a final since 1938 but they proved to be only that for around four hours as Haddow worked his way through Devon’s second innings, varying his pace intelligently, beating the bat frequently and turning the ball sharply.
In all 17 wickets went down on what proved to be the last day with Harvey causing Buckinghamshire problems as they sought to build on their overnight lead of 110.
The departure of Buckinghamshire captain Alexei Kervezee, who clipped off-spinner Sam Read to mid-wicket, opened the door for Devon. When Harvey joined the attack his namesake, George, edged to first slip, Moiz Rana went LBW and Ryan Friend followed two balls later.
Haddow was then brilliantly run out by a direct hit from James Horler at point and when Archie Dodds was caught behind from one that turned and bounced, Buckinghamshire were only 162 ahead.
For the second time in the match their tenth wicket pair – on this occasion Ed Bragg and Tom Weymes – added 27 priceless runs which gained significance when Devon set off in pursuit of a target of 190.
They began positively with Elliot Hamilton and Ben Privett putting on 35 in the first eight overs before Hamilton became the first of four LBWs for Haddow. Privett became the second on the other side of the lunch interval before Max Uttley deprived Haddow of the chance to take all ten wickets when he had Lawrence Walker LBW.
Horler was bowled trying to cut Haddow but Buckinghamshire were then frustrated by a fifth wicket stand of 47 between Matt Thompson and Seb Linnitt. Haddow made the important breakthrough when Linnitt cut him to Archie Dodds at point but Thompson was then joined by Callum Harvey in an attacking sixth-wicket stand.
Harvey struck two sixes off Uttley which forced Buckinghamshire to revert to seam at the golf course end and Harvey had two let offs in successive balls from Archie Dodds’ first over when he survived a caught-and-bowled chance and a more difficult one to gully.
But Harvey went in the next over when he was stumped off Haddow, Read soon followed and Thompson’s hopes of steering Devon to victory in his last match before retirement ended when he swept Haddow to Archie Dodds at square-leg.
That gave Haddow his 100th wicket in 13 Championship matches over the last three seasons and that quickly became 102 after George Greenway was taken low down at slip by Kervezee and Matt Jeacock went LBW.
Unsurprisingly, Haddow was named Player of the Match by NCCA President Phil Caley.
Horler, Devon’s disappointed captain, was to the point in his comments on a four-day match that ended inside three with both sides bowled out twice.
“Gutted to have no got over the line,” said Horler.
“It was frustrating that the pitch couldn’t facilitate a game of cricket that demonstrated the skills of both teams.”
Tim Western. Devon CCC’s performance director, had frustrations as well, but he also saw an upside.
“Firstly, congratulations to Buckinghamshire for their win,” said Western.
“The guys are hurting but all know that they gave their all.
“The team, and the other members of the squad should be very proud in getting Devon to the national final.
“Taking seven wickets in just 90 minutes of play in the morning was just what we needed to set up an exciting chase. It was sad to get so close but we will all learn from the experience.
“Despite not getting over the line today chasing the total, it has been a great red-ball campaign.”
