COUNTIES CRICKET Western reaction as Devon win title

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Created on Thursday, 10 September 2026 11:00

Last Updated on Thursday, 10 September 2026 11:11

Published on Thursday, 10 September 2026 11:00

Written by PAUL BOLTON Cricket Correspondent

Devon Head of Performance Tim Western said there was more to come from his side after they won the NCCA Cluberly Championship for the first time in 15 years by beating defending champions Buckinghamshire by 122 runs in the four-day final at West Bromwich Dartmouth.

The win avenged a 19 runs defeat by Buckinghamshire in the 2025, a result which gave Devon motivation to retain their Western Division title and come back to take the national crown.

“It hurt last year. I wouldn’t say it was the main driver for us but it was one of the drivers,” Western said.

“The guys have shown great resilience. They are a year older and they knew there was another gear. They have shown that all year in most of the formats.

“We have moved on again. It was great to be here again and great to get over the line.

“This team has taken us through a few roller coaster rides in terms of emotions but they just got across the line today which is fantastic and they deserve it.

“Devon haven’t won this competition since 2011 which shows how hard it is to do. Credit to the lads, they are still young - the average age is still below 24 - so I think when they reflect on their achievements this year that they will be hungry to come back and be in the final again next year.

“It was a really good final. We knew the quality of the Bucks team and congratulations to them on winning the Eastern Division and pushing us so hard here.

“I think it shows how good the standard of National Counties cricket is and how important it is in the pathway for these youngsters. Some of them still aspire to play first-class cricket, for others it will be the highest standard they play in. So, to play in a high-profile final involving two really good teams is great for them.

“From an onlooker’s point of view, it was a match that ebbed and flowed and it’s really nice to be on the winning side.”

Devon’s success was achieved without a professional and with a mostly homegrown side, after Western decided to back local players when he took charge of the county two years ago.

“We made a commitment probably two years ago that we would continue backing the younger players and the still slightly older ones like Matt Thompson, and put the responsibility on them,” Western said.

“We set our stall out that we weren’t going to get people in. There’s a lack of experience there at times but these guys have also played a lot of cricket together now.

“The majority are homegrown lads and playing in Devon or born in the county. It does help when you create that togetherness and that has shown through. There is a togetherness there, it does count and it does make a difference in key moments.

“We had a really good winter. The guys who were in the county worked hard on their own games and this is a product of the hard work they put in.”

For Buckinghamshire captain Conner Haddow there was disappointment after he had done more than anyone to keep his side in the hunt for a third Championship title in four seasons by taking 11 wickets in the match and his aggregate to 44 wickets in four Championship matches at West Bromwich Dartmouth.

“It doesn’t mean anything if you don’t win the game,” Haddow said. “It was nice to bowl well but I’ll be thinking about what else what we could we have done.”

Haddow’s focus is likely to be on dropped catches and a lack of runs from Buckinghamshire’s top order while Devon opener Sam Elstone made 104 in the first innings and 55 in the second in a match turning opening stand of 127 with Elliot Hamilton (70).

“The key moments were we lost a flurry of wickets at the start of each innings and again this morning,” Haddow said.

“We never really had those periods when we went bang, bang, bang with the ball but they did. We dropped a few chances as well. If you take off the runs scored after those chances the scores were pretty much even.

“Devon are a very good side. It was very close last year in a game which could have gone either way so fair play to them.

“At the start of their second innings both openers played very well. The pitch spun but if you stuck in you could score. In our second innings only Billy Dodds batted for more 60 balls. When you don’t have that you are never going to score quickly on a pitch like that. You have to be more attritional and they did it better than we did.”

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