Buckinghamshire captain Conner Haddow continued his love affair with West Bromwich Dartmouth’s Sandwell Park ground but a century from opener Sam Elstone ensured that Devon shared the first day honours in the NCCA Cluberly Championship final.

Slow left-armer Haddow bowled all but seven overs from the golf course end of the ground and took five for 103 from his marathon spell of 34.4 overs. That took Haddow’s aggregate to 38 wickets in seven innings for Buckinghamshire at Sandwell Park including five hauls of five wickets or more.

Haddow had to work harder for his wickets than 12 months ago when he took a record 16 wickets - nine in the second innings  - to help Buckinghamshire defeat Devon by 19 runs. Elstone, a former Scotland Under-19s international, was largely responsible for frustrating Haddow as the second Championship century of his career laid the foundations for Devon’s 290 all out after skipper James Horler had opted to bat first.

Twelve months ago there was sharp turn for Haddow from an early stage but this pitch had more pace and runs in it and Elstone, who plays his club cricket for Sidmouth, took his chance to impress.

Elstone may not be the most stylish batter but he has a good temperament and technique that works for him. A serious shoulder injury last season partly explains his exaggerated legside pull which he used to good effect here. He frustrated Buckinghamshire for 51 overs and reached his century from 144 balls with 13 fours but when he mistimed a pull and skied a return catch to Archie Dodds, Devon began to wobble.

The departure of experienced wicketkeeper/batter Matt Thompson, who was caught at short leg reverse sweeping Haddow for 34, triggered a mini collapse in which Devon lost three wickets for 16 runs with Ben Privett thick-edging a drive off Tom Weymes to slip and James Matravers being stumped off Haddow.

Callum Harvey and Sam Read stabilised things with a valuable eighth wicket partnership of 56 but then perished in quick succession to Matt Pardoe’s left-arm spin. Harvey (27) picked out long-off eyeing the short Birmingham Road boundary and Read (38) paddled to Daksh Sabherwal at short fine leg.

Last man George Daldorph did not last long, caught at slip, and gave Haddow his fifth wicket of the innings and continued his remarkable record at the ground.

Ed Bragg, who plays his club cricket just down the M5 for Halesowen in the Birmingham & District Premier League, took the first wicket of the final when Elliot Hamilton miscued a pull and gave a return catch and Haddow was into the attack within the first hour when he relieved Weymes.

Haddow struck in his third over when he beat Horler’s defensive push and then snared Seb Linnitt, who was bowled sweeping. Elstone stood firm and added 68 for the fourth wicket with Thompson but his departure an hour after lunch opened the door for Buckinghamshire.

Buckinghamshire lost Archie Dodds, caught at second slip for a duck off Daldorph, in the third over of their reply before Billy Dodds and Aaryan Sawant settled things down with a second wicket partnership of 49.

Middlesex and former England Under-19s batter Sawant had an escape when James Matravers fumbled on the deep midwicket boundary rope off Harvey but there was no reprieve for Dodds when he was caught behind cutting the slow left-armer on 27 just before the close.

Sawant ended the day unbeaten on 32 with Buckinghamshire 60 for two.

NCCA CLUBERLY CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

First day of four

West Bromwich Dartmouth CC: Devon 290 (Sam Elstone 104, Conner Haddow 5-103), Buckinghamshire 60-2.