Season Review by Massimo Dellow
Images: Andy Bone and Luke Stafford - Sports Shots
The 2026 cricket season for Bucks Cricket was packed with action, drama and success as both the Men’s and Women’s teams competed among the best national counties in the country. The campaign saw a plethora of extremely talented cricketers take the field, alongside a whole host of new showcase events that aimed to expand spectator experience. This season contained some of the most memorable games on record and never failed to entertain.
Bucks Men
NCCA Cluberly County Championship:
Result: Runners-up
Played: 5
Won: 3
Lost: 2
Beginning with Bucks Men, the highlight of their campaign was undoubtedly their trip to West Bromwich to compete in the NCCA County Championship final. Whilst the fixture against Devon didn't provide victory, it capped off a fine season with the red ball that saw Bucks come out on top in Eastern Division One. Out of the four round-robin games, they notched up three wins and secured top spot, and qualification for the final, finishing nine points clear of Suffolk in second.
While there were dominant performances against Staffordshire and thrilling games against Suffolk, the highlight of the Championship action was potentially the final round victory against Cambridgeshire, which sealed a berth in the final. The first innings left both sides fairly level, with Bucks carrying a 17-run lead having tallied up 308 in response to the opposition’s 291. However, it was the next innings that made this match memorable. Remarkably, Bucks bowled Cambridgeshire out for just 66. It was former Worcestershire pro Matt Pardoe who was the hero, as he took five wickets for just seven runs. Conner Haddow’s spin backed up his teammate with figures of 3/15. Bucks were able to chase a measly target of 50 in little over 16 overs and secured an emphatic eight-wicket victory.
NCAA NV Play Trophy:
Result: Quarter-Finals
Played: 5
Won: 4
Lost: 1
The One Day Cup group phase was just as successful for Bucks as the Championship. Their four game sleight saw them pick up maximum points as they topped the group with ease. Thrillers in the opening and closing games against Wales National Counties and Cornwall proved vital in finishing at the head of the table. Both fixtures produced nervy endings, with Bucks prevailing as victors by eight runs against the Welsh, whilst they saw a two-wicket victory over the line against Cornwall.
Their successful group stage set up a quarter-final tie against Berkshire at High Wycombe. Despite the home advantage, Bucks would ultimately see their 50-over campaign end here as they fell short of Berkshire’s tall total of 308 by 124 runs.
NCCA Dojo T20:
Result: Quarter-Finals
Played: 8
Won: 6
Lost: 2
The other white-ball competition brought about another quarter-final finish with Bucks falling to Devon, again, to see a promising T20 campaign end earlier than they would have hoped. Bucks qualified second in their group, only falling to Berkshire on net run-rate, but that was enough to qualify them for the knock-outs.
A low-scoring encounter against Wiltshire was served up in the round of 16 stage with Bucks chasing 108 with just three wickets in hand. However, a crushing 86-run defeat to Devon later that same afternoon, meant that Bucks fell to a familiar enemy.
Throughout the T20 competition, spectators were fortunate to see some dazzling individual performances. Billy Dodds afternoon against Oxfordshire at Marlow Cricket Club was one of the more memorable ones; he posted scores of 78 and 70 as Bucks took both games.
Against Wales National Counties, again at Marlow, Josh Lincoln blistered 81 in just 28 deliveries with some monster hits. Hours later, in the second game, Matt Pardoe became a centurion as he smashed the Wales bowlers around on his way to registering 112 off 56 balls.
Jason Harrison’s Notes:
Head of Performance Jason Harrison was full of praise for his side, particularly in the shorter formats, after a long season: “Well I think we had a pretty good year to be fair. Over the last couple of years we have looked to make improvements in our whiteball formats, concentrating highly on that in the winter programmes that we have done and any recruitment of players that we have had. So we are really pleased with how that direction is going, to reach the quarter-finals of both formats is something we have not done before.”
He also commented on his side’s form in the championship over the last few years and their results this season: “I think the last five years we have really competed in the Championship. We won Division two and then the first year up we won the Eastern Division and the full Championship and then two years later we did the same. So this year again we reached the final and once again we played pretty well, I think, it was a very even game up until the last innings where naturally the toss was always going to be very important.”
Looking ahead to next season, Harrison was cautiously optimistic: “We just want to be better than we were last year, and I think if you strive for those things, you hope that gives you a foothold in games and competitions.”
Bucks Women
Vitality Blast Women's League 3 - Division 1B:
Result: 2nd
Played: 6
Won: 3
Lost: 3
The Women’s side’s campaign kicked off in a positive manner with a pair of wins against Hertfordshire at the glorious Wormsley Cricket Ground. Both victories came in crushing style with winning margins of 69 and 47 runs. Amelie Bishop, on loan from Essex, was the star in the second game, as she scored 73 off 53 deliveries, including 13 fours.
However, they only won one of their final four games and surrendered top spot in the group to Staffordshire and, as a result, missed out on qualification for the final. Their final game loss to the aforementioned group toppers proved the killer blow as their runner-up fate was sealed.
Vitality T20 Women's County Cup:
Result: Round of 16
Played: 3
Won: 2
Lost: 1
The only straight knockout competition that either the Men’s or Women’s side feature in was a success for Bucks this season, as they made it to the round of 16 stage, further than any of the other tier 2 counties. Their tie with Lancashire, which saw Bucks fall out of the tournament, was a huge game for the club and a great experience for a group of players that had played good cricket all season.
Their first round game against Suffolk saw them sneak through with a win off the penultimate ball of the game before a comfortable 56-run victory over Norfolk earned them a place in the last 16.
Annie Townsend and Captain Cara Duggan both displayed their fabulous ball striking ability right the way through the tournament, with both of them notching up half-centuries at various points. Although it ended in defeat, the Women’s T20 campaign will be remembered as a success.
Metro Bank One Day Cup League 3 - Division 1:
Result: 3rd
Played: 7
Won: 4
Tied: 1
Lost: 1
Abandoned: 1
The One Day Cup campaign will have produced mixed feelings within the Bucks camp. It began poorly with their solitary loss of the season, at the hands of Devon. From then on, the side struck together an unbeaten run that included four victories, one abandoned game, and one tie.
The tied game occurred in a fixture at High Wycombe against Cheshire. Astonishingly, the away side posted a mammoth total of 339 from their 50 overs. With the home side handed a mighty target to chase, it turned out to be much closer than most would have anticipated at the innings break. Headlined by Molly Carter’s 91, Bucks’ attempt took them to the last over, where they required eight runs to win. To Bucks disappointment, they managed to obtain just seven of those runs and were forced to accept a tie.
Victory in the final game of the season by 230 runs against Cambridgeshire sealed a third-place finish in a tightly knit group and rounded the season off nicely for Bucks.
Ben Ungaretti Notes:
Women’s Head Coach Ben Ungaretti spoke about the performance in the 50-over competition, “We ended up third in the league, which is one place further than we did last year, so it was really good to see that progression in the 50-over competition. So overall, I think, a really good season for us.”
He also reminisced on the wonderful T20 cup campaign: “It was easily the highlight of the season. Just for being in that professional environment and for some of the players to experience that, get a taste of what the future could be like if they move on to a high level. Even though we are two tiers below, against fully professional players, we definitely showed what we can do.”
When looking ahead to the future, Ungaretti added: “I would love for us to win a trophy. I think, two seasons in a row, we have sort of gone close but just have not quite gone that extra step. Obviously looking at someone who coaches on the pathway as well, trying to get a few more of our younger players pushing through and have a couple more debuts next year would be great to see because we have some really exciting young talent coming through.”
Bucks Men and Women enjoyed varying levels of success across formats throughout the 2026 season, and it was fantastic to see the increased support of the talented Bucks players and exciting T20 showcase events. Both head coaches are already looking forward to next season, where they will hope to challenge at the top for another year.
