BUCKINGHAMSHIRE have included teenage batting prospect Daksh Sabherwal in their squad for the first time for the NCCA Cluberly Championship final with Devon which starts at West Bromwich Dartmouth on Sunday.
Sabherwal, who plays his club cricket for Chesham in the Home Counties Premier League, has had a prolific summer in Buckinghamshire’s age group teams having passed 1,000 runs in county pathway matches.
That form has secured him a place in a 12-man squad of which only half – captain Alexei Kervezee, Ed Bragg, Ewan Cox, George Harvey, Conner Haddow and Tom Weymes – played in the 2023 final when Buckinghamshire beat Devon by a record 550 runs.
Slow left-armer Haddow returns having missed the draw with Lincolnshire at High Wycombe last weekend which secured the Eastern Division One title for Buckinghamshire and a place in the final.
Haddow was called up by Northamptonshire to play in their Second XI Championship match against Hampshire at Dunstable and took three for 55 in 17 overs between the showers in a rain-ravaged contest.
Batter Moiz Rana, who made his Buckinghamshire debut in the victory over Staffordshire at Stafford three weeks ago, returns to the squad with off-spinner Max Uttley looking to achieve the rare feat of winning the Championship with two counties.
He was part of the Berkshire side that beat Lincolnshire on the first innings lead rule in the 2022 final at West Bromwich Dartmouth.
Western Division champions Devon return to Sandwell Park with a 12-man squad which includes just three survivors from the 2023 final.
James Horler will captain Devon on this occasion with Ben Privett and Elliot Hamilton also returning to West Bromwich.
Batter/wicketkeeper Matt Thompson missed the 2023 final through holiday commitments but he was on the winning side when Devon beat Cambridgeshire in the 2011 final at March.
The final will be Thompson’s last appearance for Devon before he retires to concentrate on his day job as Head of Talent Pathway for Cricket Wales.
Between the two finalists there are ten players who have made their National Counties debuts this season with brothers Archie and Billy Dodds and Ryan Friend joining Rana and Sabherwal in Buckinghamshire’s squad and Seb Linnitt, Callum Harvey, Matt Jeacock, England Deaf international George Greenway and Craig Penberthy in Devon’s.
If the final is a draw at the end of four days the title will be shared as it was last year when Staffordshire and Berkshire were joint champions. The first innings lead rule was scrapped after the 2023 final.
NCCA Cluberly Championship Final
September 7-10 (10.30am)
West Bromwich Dartmouth CC: Buckinghamshire v Devon
Buckinghamshire: Alexei Kervezee (C), Ed Bragg, Ewan Cox, Archie Dodds, Billy Dodds, Ryan Friend, Conner Haddow, George Harvey, Moiz Rana, Daksh Sabherwal, Max Uttley, Tom Weymes.
Devon: James Horler (C), Elliot Hamilton, Matt Thompson, Lawrence Walker, Seb Linnitt, Callum Harvey, Sam Read, Ben Privett, Matt Jeacock, George Greenway, Craig Penberthy, George Daldorph (12th man).
