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Metro Bank One-Day Cup county-by-county preview
GROUP A
DERBYSHIRE
Captain: Ross Whiteley
Overseas player: Daryn Dupavillon (South Africa)
2023 finish: Eighth (Group B)
2023 leading run scorer: Luis Reece (392)
2023 leading wicket taker: Sam Conners (12)
Key player: Reece had an impressive tournament in 2023 when he also took 11 wickets with his left-arm swing. The all-rounder can dominate the bowling at the top of the order and will be key to Derbyshire's chances over the next month.
Keep an eye on: Harry Moore became the youngest player to represent Derbyshire at 16 years and 114 days when he made his debut in the competition against Worcestershire at Derby last August. A tall right-arm quick, his potential has been recognised with selection for England Under-19's.
Final thought: Although Wayne Madsen and Aneurin Donald are on Hundred duty, the batting still looks strong with Lloyd, Reece and Brooke Guest in the line-up. Pat Brown was a late replacement call for Northern Superchargers but Zak Chappell and Daryn Dupavillon will add a cutting edge to the bowling that was missing in last year's competition.
DURHAM
Captain: Alex Lees
Overseas player: none
2023 finish: Fifth (Group B)
2023 leading run scorer: David Bedingham (413)
2023 leading wicket taker: Liam Trevaskis (12)
Key player: Belligerent opener Alex Lees (403) followed David Bedingham to 400 runs in last year’s competition. With Bedingham on South Africa duty this time, Lees’ importance is clear. Good form from the captain can set the tone for a title challenge similar to the one which saw them beaten in the 2021 final by Glamorgan.
Keep an eye on: Batter Ben McKinney captained England at the Under 19s World Cup at the start of this year and led the County Select XI against the West Indies in early July. The tall left-hander, 19, has first-team experience across all formats, but he’s yet to really break through. This could be the campaign.
Final thought: Durham are missing six Hundred-bound players, including Ben Stokes, and their top run-scorer and wicket-taker from last year are unavailable. Liam Trevaskis has moved to Leicestershire. But they still have some impressive firepower. The likes of Colin Ackermann, Bas de Leede, Michael Jones and Ben Raine will supplement some exciting youngsters.
HAMPSHIRE
Captain: Nick Gubbins
Overseas players: Kyle Abbott (South Africa), Mohammad Abbas (Pakistan)
2023 finish: Runners-up
2023 leading run scorer: Fletcha Middleton (480)
2023 leading wicket taker: Ian Holland (18)
Key player: With over 75 first-team appearances and well over 2,000 runs to his name, it is hard to believe Tom Prest is still only 21. The top-order batter, and occasional off-spinner, has collected over 400 runs in each of the last two Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaigns and is well positioned for another run-heavy competition.
Keep an eye on: Eddie Jack had a promising fresher year last season, where he took nine wickets with his bustling pace. The 18-year-old tall quick has all the attributes England craves in a bowler, so eyes will be firmly focused on how he develops.
Final thought: A squad oozing in experience even the youngsters have deep big-game experience. Included in that is the hurt of losing last year’s final from plenty of winnable positions. A return to Trent Bridge is inevitably the premier aim, especially with the increasingly impressive leadership of Nick Gubbins at the helm.
KENT
Captain: Jack Leaning
Overseas players: Charlie Stobo (Australia), Beyers Swanepoel (South Africa)
2023 finish: Fourth (Group A)
2023 leading run scorer: Daniel Bell-Drummond (390)
2023 leading wicket taker: Matt Parkinson (17)
Key player: Ben Compton, an old-school opener who knows exactly how to pace an innings over 50 overs, whether chasing or setting a target. In this format patience can still be a virtue.
Keep an eye on: Jaydn Denly who made five appearances in this competition in 2023 and impressed in the Men’s Youth Test with Sri Lanka at Cheltenham with an enterprising 57. Potentially useful partner for Matt Parkinson and Hamid Qadri if Kent decide to produce some turning wickets.
Final thought: This is Kent’s last chance to salvage something from a desperate season. They finished bottom of their Vitality Blast group and look highly likely to get relegated from the Vitality County Championship The quick bowling ranks have been decimated by injuries so why not give the spinners something to work with?
LANCASHIRE
Captain: Keaton Jennings
Overseas players: Tom Bruce (New Zealand), Chris Green (Australia)
2023 finish: Quarter-finalists
2023 leading run scorer: Keaton Jennings (369)
2023 leading wicket taker: Will Williams (13)
Key player: All-rounder George Balderson hit 221 runs and took 10 wickets with his seamers in last season’s competition and has since progressed his game further. The 23-year-old former England Under 19s skipper has been talismanic in Lancashire’s Vitality County Championship team and debuted in T20s last month. He just seems to make things happen.
Keep an eye on: This could be the campaign which sees Rocky Flintoff make his first-team debut. The middle order batter, 16, with a famous father has scored centuries for Lancashire’s second team and for the England Under 19s already this summer. He’s a tall, aggressive and fearless right-hander. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?!
Final thought: Beaten finalists in 2022, quarter-finalists last year, Lancashire should go close to making it third time lucky. There are a few ifs, buts and TBCs surrounding their overseas situation. Chris Green, for example, has a Caribbean Premier League T20 deal from late August onwards and is also on standby for The Hundred.
MIDDLESEX
Captain: Mark Stoneman
Overseas players: None
2023 finish: Seventh (Group A)
2023 leading run scorer: Joe Cracknell (290)
2023 leading wicket taker: Ethan Bamber (12)
Key player: Luke Hollman – the leg-spinner is one of very few to emerge from the T20 campaign with white-ball form after 23 wickets. With three of Middlesex’s four home games on out-grounds, his ability to apply the long handle over short boundaries is another plus.
Keep an eye on: Noah Cornwell – we’ve seen glimpses of the England U19 seamer’s talent in the Vitality Blast and with Tom Helm and Ryan Higgins away on The Hundred duty this represents another good opportunity. The fact he bowls left-arm brings variety and two of Middlesex’s four games will be on his home ground at Radlett.
Final thought: With five first XI call-ups to The Hundred having left explosive batting resources depleted, the Seaxes are likely to need their promising, but largely inexperienced bowling attack to defend smaller totals than they’d like or to keep any chase within bounds.
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
Captain: Lewis McManus
Overseas player: Prithvi Shaw (India)
2023 finish: Sixth (Group B)
2023 leading run scorer: Prithvi Shaw (429)
2023 leading wicket taker: Rob Keogh (12)
Key player: Shaw vowed to return after a knee injury cut short an incredible maiden stint for the Steelbacks last year, which included a record-breaking 244 against Somerset – the sixth highest individual score in List A history. If he gets remotely close to that form this year, Northamptonshire will be strong challengers.
Keep an eye on: At 19, Raphy Weatherall broke into Northamptonshire’s first team this season, making his first-class and T20 debuts. Able to bowl with real pace, his grit and maturity were evident when he was trusted with key overs in this year’s Vitality Blast. The Metro Bank One-Day Cup offers him another opportunity to impress.
Final thought: Northamptonshire carry momentum from a successful Vitality Blast campaign into the Metro-Bank One-Day Cup and, with almost a full squad available, should be favourites to reach the knockout stages. Saif Zaib is in the form of his life and will play a key role until Caribbean League commitments in mid-August.
SOMERSET
Captain: Sean Dickson
Overseas player: Migael Pretorius (South Africa)
2023 finish: Seventh (Group B)
2023 leading run scorer: Andy Umeed (613)
2023 leading wicket taker: Jack Brooks, Ned Leonard, Danny Lamb (8)
Key player: Andy Umeed blossomed as a Somerset player in this competition a year ago to such an extent that he has earned regular selection in the Vitality County Championship this season. He has worked hard on the attacking side of his game and is now high on confidence and capable of flaying opposition attacks.
Keep an eye on: Alfie Ogborne is fresh from signing a new two-year contract at the Cooper Associates County Ground. The 21-year-old left-arm seamer has progressed through Somerset’s age-group teams and club cricket with North Perrott and Bridgwater. He will be keen to justify the faith being shown in him.
Final thought: Losing as many as ten players to The Hundred has hampered Somerset’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup prospects in recent seasons and, with that situation repeated, they will again be relying on a group of young prospects to qualify from the group stage this season. Restricting opposition runs on the true batting pitches at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton, will be key.
WORCESTERSHIRE
Captain: Jake Libby
Overseas players: Nathan Smith (New Zealand)
2023 finish: Quarter-finals
2023 leading run scorer: Jake Libby (397)
2023 leading wicket taker: Josh Baker (17)
Key player: Jake Libby will again take over the captaincy of the 50-over side from club captain, Brett D'Oliveira. His calming presence at the top of the order is essential as he demonstrated consistently last summer with four half-centuries, while he is also capable of upping the scoring rate when the need requires.
Keep an eye on: Harry Darley. A raw but promising pace bowler who impressed in a T20 match versus New Zealand at Visit Worcestershire New Road last summer. Injuries to bowlers such as Nathan Smith, Joe Leach, Adam Finch and Ben Gibbon are likely to provide more opportunities in the 50-over competition.
Final thought: Worcestershire's forte looks to lie in their batting where there is plenty of strength in depth with only Adam Hose on duty at The Hundred. But a series of long term injuries in their seam attack may make it difficult to emulate last summer's success in reaching the last eight.
GROUP B
ESSEX
Captain: Tom Westley
Overseas player: None
2023 finish: Ninth (Group A)
2023 leading run-scorer: Beau Webster (256)
2023 leading wicket-taker: Beau Webster (14)
Key player: As the grandaddy in a team of comparative fledglings, captain Tom Westley will be expected to lead from the front and reprise his 2022 batting efforts when he hit two centuries at an average just below 50. His underused and undervalued off-breaks might also come in handy.
Keep an eye on: A big future is forecast for Charlie Allison. He got his eye in for the 50-over format with 87 for England U19 against Sri Lanka earlier this month. With two fifties, and a best of 85, he was only three runs off being the top Essex run-scorer in last season’s competition.
Final thought: Essex’s record in the one-day cup has been disappointing, to say the least – just one win last year. But the 2023 intake – Charlie Allison, Luc Benkenstein and Noah Thain – have all subsequently gained first-team experience and should spark an upturn in the team’s fortunes.
GLAMORGAN
Captain: Kiran Carlson
Overseas player: Colin Ingram (South Africa)
2023 finish: Fourth (Group B)
2023 leading run scorer: Eddie Byrom (352)
2023 leading wicket taker: Ben Kellaway (13)
Key player: In the absence of Chris Cooke, and with no second overseas player signed up for this competition so far, there is a lot of pressure on Colin Ingram to perform for Glamorgan in 50 over cricket. His nine List A hundreds for Glamorgan puts him third on the all-time list for the county, him hitting double digits hundreds for this team would be a big boost.
Keep an eye on: Ben Kellaway had a very good season for Glamorgan in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup last year to finish as top wicket taker. His opportunities with the ball have been limited to two overs in his six matches in the Vitality Blast, but expect him to take a more significant role in the 50-over format again.
Final thought: Going into the Vitality Blast the worry was that Glamorgan’s bowling would be the weak spot, but their attack has kept them in games at times this year. Where they have struggled is with consistency with the bat, the Metro Bank One-Day Cup is a chance for a white-ball batting reset as they look to claim the trophy they won in 2021.
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
Captain: Jack Taylor
Overseas players: Cameron Bancroft (Australia), Zafar Gohar (Pakistan)
2023 finish: Semi-finalists
2023 leading run scorer: Ollie Price (575)
2023 leading wicket taker: Paul van Meekeren (17)
Key player: James Bracey hit an unbeaten double century against Somerset in last season’s competition and has been in good form with the bat and the wicketkeeping gloves this summer. He is looking much more like the player who played Test cricket for England in 2021.
Keep an eye on: With only five first-class games under his belt, Ed Middleton is at the stage of his career when the Metro Bank One-Day Cup could greatly advance his development and the 23-year-old Devonian leg-spinner will be hoping for plenty of opportunities in the group games.
Final thought: Gloucestershire won six of their eight Group B matches last season and thrashed Lancashire in the quarter-finals, winning by eight wickets with 25.1 overs to spare. They also boasted a 198-run annihilation of arch-rivals Somerset at Bristol and, with less players than most involved in The Hundred, will again fancy their chances against anyone on home soil.
LEICESTERSHIRE
Captain: Lewis Hill
Overseas players: Ajinkya Rahane (India), Peter Handscomb (Australia)
2023 finish: Champions
2023 leading run scorer: Peter Handscomb (401)
2023 leading wicket taker: Chris Wright (18)
Key player: Former India Test captain Ajinkya Rahane has joined up with the Foxes squad and is available for the entire competition. With three hundreds and 24 fifties in 90 ODIs on his record, he can make a big impact alongside experienced Aussie Peter Handscomb.
Keep an eye on: Sam Wood, a 6ft 4ins 19-year-old seam-bowling all-rounder, bowled with promise in his two appearances in the Vitality Blast and, with Josh Hull and Scott Currie signed up for The Hundred, will hope for more opportunities to impress in this competition.
Final thought: Defending their 2023 crown will not be easy, not least with rising stars Hull and Rishi Patel and the big-hitting Louis Kimber joining Rehan Ahmed among five players picked up by The Hundred, but a decent squad remains and with Rahane’s addition they have the potential to be contenders again.
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
Captain: Haseeb Hameed
Overseas players: None
2023 finish: Fifth (Group A)
2023 leading run scorer: Matt Montgomery (286)
2023 leading wicket takers: Brett Hutton, Dane Paterson (11)
Key player: Opening bat Ben Slater had a modest 2023 season by his own standards, but still boasts a remarkable List A career average of 52.18. A return to the form that has earned him six hundreds and 17 fifties in this format could be key to a stronger showing by Nottinghamshire.
Keep an eye on: Sam King, a 21-year-old batter who impressed on his two Metro Bank One-Day Cup appearances last season, and marked his T20 debut last week with 44 off 25 balls as Nottinghamshire ended a dismal Vitality Blast campaign with a win at Yorkshire. An extended run in the 50-over format should be on the cards.
Final thought: After an uncharacteristically poor Vitality Blast, Nottinghamshire have something to prove in this competition. Joint leading wicket-taker Dane Paterson is headed for the West Indies with South Africa, which leaves them with no overseas player, but there is still enough experience and potential in the squad to make an impact.
SUSSEX
Captain: John Simpson
Overseas players: None
2023 finish: Ninth (Group B)
2023 leading run scorer: Cheteshwar Pujara (384)
2023 leading wicket taker: Jack Carson (12)
Key player: Danny Lamb was a good one-day player with previous county Lancashire, and the talented all-rounder has proved his worth for Sussex already in the Vitality Blast. His middle-order experience, variations of pace with the ball and ability to score quickly will be crucial.
Keep an eye on: Coach Paul Farbrace confirmed that he will be giving youngsters an opportunity which means Henry Rogers, Zach Lion-Cachet and Bertie Foreman, who all made their debuts in this format in 2023, and Archie Lenham can expect further opportunities.
Final thought: With Ollie Robinson, James Coles, Tom Alsop and Tymal Mills at The Hundred and no overseas players Sussex will rely on a mixture of youth and experience to improve on a record of one win in 2023, while their travelling supporters will have the pleasure of experiencing York, Welbeck and Neath for the first time.
SURREY
Captain: Rory Burns
Overseas players: None
2023 finish: Eighth (Group A)
2023 leading run-scorer: Ryan Patel (330)
2023 leading wicket-taker: Cameron Steel (10)
Key player: Dom Sibley – the 22-times capped former England Test opener won white-ball selection in Surrey’s Vitality Blast campaign this summer in an ongoing bid to show he is something more than just a proven and talented run-accumulator in first-class cricket. A highly-experienced 28-year-old, he can bring authority to Surrey’s top order as well as the natural power that comes from his imposing build, and will be looking to make a statement of white-ball intent in this year’s 50-over competition.
Young Player to watch: Ollie Sykes – the 19-year-old was named as Wisden Schools Cricketer of the Year in 2023 and made his senior Surrey debut during the Vitality Blast group stages. The exciting left-hander, who also bowls spin, has been a member of Surrey’s age group pathway and academy since the age of seven.
Final thought: As in recent seasons, Surrey will have to contest the Metro Bank One-Day Cup without a phalanx of players contracted to appear in The Hundred. This time they are missing 15, one more than in 2023, plus Australians Sean Abbott and Spencer Johnson, who represented the club as overseas players earlier in the summer. Surrey’s philosophy, however, is that gives huge opportunity to many of their emerging younger cricketers as well a chance for the likes of Sibley, Patel, Steel, Ben Geddes, James Taylor and others to shine.
WARWICKSHIRE
Captain: Ed Barnard
Overseas players: none
2023 finish: Semi-finalist
2023 leading run scorer: Ed Barnard (616)
2023 leading wicket taker: Olly Hannon-Dalby (24)
Key player: Ed Barnard has fully fulfilled his aspiration, on joining Warwickshire from Worcestershire, to take his game to the next level. With bat and ball and as vice-captain the 28-year-old has become central to the Bears’ planning and will lead the 50-over side.
Keep an eye on: Hamza Shaikh. Although only just turned 18, Shaikh, who recently captained England Under 19s in the Youth Test series against Sri Lanka, shows a maturity on and off the pitch which suggests that his abundant natural talent as a batter is ready to fly in first-team cricket.
Final thought: The 50-over competition comes at an interesting time for Warwickshire and how they fare will heavily shape the fans’ view of how things are going at Edgbaston. It’s been a polarised season - formidable in the Vitality Blast but without a County Championship win. Where on that spectrum will their 50-over cricket sit?
YORKSHIRE
Captain: Shan Masood
Overseas players: Shan Masood (Pakistan)
2023 finish: Sixth (Group A)
2023 leading run scorer: Shan Masood (217)
2023 leading wicket taker: Matthew Revis (10)
Key player: Young leg-spinner Jafer Chohan took five and four wickets in successive Vitality Blast games recently. The 22-year-old is yet to make his 50-over debut, having been with Southern Brave in last year’s The Hundred, and has been inspired to chase his England dream by seeing the emergence of Shoaib Bashir and Rehan Ahmed on the international stage.
Keep an eye on: Eighteen-year-old top order batter Noah Kelly started the summer on Yorkshire’s Academy but signed his maiden rookie professional contract earlier this month. A left-hander the county are very excited about, he has scored heavy runs for the Academy and second team. Could get his first-team chance in the coming weeks.
Final thought: Captain Shan Masood’s unavailability for any potential quarter and semi-final because of Test match commitments would be an inconvenience, but Yorkshire look well stocked with young and exciting batters. Will Luxton, for example, scored a century for the County Select XI against the touring West Indians at the start of the month.
GROUP A
DERBYSHIRE
Captain: Ross Whiteley
Overseas player: Daryn Dupavillon (South Africa)
2023 finish: Eighth (Group B)
2023 leading run scorer: Luis Reece (392)
2023 leading wicket taker: Sam Conners (12)
Key player: Reece had an impressive tournament in 2023 when he also took 11 wickets with his left-arm swing. The all-rounder can dominate the bowling at the top of the order and will be key to Derbyshire's chances over the next month.
Keep an eye on: Harry Moore became the youngest player to represent Derbyshire at 16 years and 114 days when he made his debut in the competition against Worcestershire at Derby last August. A tall right-arm quick, his potential has been recognised with selection for England Under-19's.
Final thought: Although Wayne Madsen and Aneurin Donald are on Hundred duty, the batting still looks strong with Lloyd, Reece and Brooke Guest in the line-up. Pat Brown was a late replacement call for Northern Superchargers but Zak Chappell and Daryn Dupavillon will add a cutting edge to the bowling that was missing in last year's competition.
DURHAM
Captain: Alex Lees
Overseas player: none
2023 finish: Fifth (Group B)
2023 leading run scorer: David Bedingham (413)
2023 leading wicket taker: Liam Trevaskis (12)
Key player: Belligerent opener Alex Lees (403) followed David Bedingham to 400 runs in last year’s competition. With Bedingham on South Africa duty this time, Lees’ importance is clear. Good form from the captain can set the tone for a title challenge similar to the one which saw them beaten in the 2021 final by Glamorgan.
Keep an eye on: Batter Ben McKinney captained England at the Under 19s World Cup at the start of this year and led the County Select XI against the West Indies in early July. The tall left-hander, 19, has first-team experience across all formats, but he’s yet to really break through. This could be the campaign.
Final thought: Durham are missing six Hundred-bound players, including Ben Stokes, and their top run-scorer and wicket-taker from last year are unavailable. Liam Trevaskis has moved to Leicestershire. But they still have some impressive firepower. The likes of Colin Ackermann, Bas de Leede, Michael Jones and Ben Raine will supplement some exciting youngsters.
HAMPSHIRE
Captain: Nick Gubbins
Overseas players: Kyle Abbott (South Africa), Mohammad Abbas (Pakistan)
2023 finish: Runners-up
2023 leading run scorer: Fletcha Middleton (480)
2023 leading wicket taker: Ian Holland (18)
Key player: With over 75 first-team appearances and well over 2,000 runs to his name, it is hard to believe Tom Prest is still only 21. The top-order batter, and occasional off-spinner, has collected over 400 runs in each of the last two Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaigns and is well positioned for another run-heavy competition.
Keep an eye on: Eddie Jack had a promising fresher year last season, where he took nine wickets with his bustling pace. The 18-year-old tall quick has all the attributes England craves in a bowler, so eyes will be firmly focused on how he develops.
Final thought: A squad oozing in experience even the youngsters have deep big-game experience. Included in that is the hurt of losing last year’s final from plenty of winnable positions. A return to Trent Bridge is inevitably the premier aim, especially with the increasingly impressive leadership of Nick Gubbins at the helm.
KENT
Captain: Jack Leaning
Overseas players: Charlie Stobo (Australia), Beyers Swanepoel (South Africa)
2023 finish: Fourth (Group A)
2023 leading run scorer: Daniel Bell-Drummond (390)
2023 leading wicket taker: Matt Parkinson (17)
Key player: Ben Compton, an old-school opener who knows exactly how to pace an innings over 50 overs, whether chasing or setting a target. In this format patience can still be a virtue.
Keep an eye on: Jaydn Denly who made five appearances in this competition in 2023 and impressed in the Men’s Youth Test with Sri Lanka at Cheltenham with an enterprising 57. Potentially useful partner for Matt Parkinson and Hamid Qadri if Kent decide to produce some turning wickets.
Final thought: This is Kent’s last chance to salvage something from a desperate season. They finished bottom of their Vitality Blast group and look highly likely to get relegated from the Vitality County Championship The quick bowling ranks have been decimated by injuries so why not give the spinners something to work with?
LANCASHIRE
Captain: Keaton Jennings
Overseas players: Tom Bruce (New Zealand), Chris Green (Australia)
2023 finish: Quarter-finalists
2023 leading run scorer: Keaton Jennings (369)
2023 leading wicket taker: Will Williams (13)
Key player: All-rounder George Balderson hit 221 runs and took 10 wickets with his seamers in last season’s competition and has since progressed his game further. The 23-year-old former England Under 19s skipper has been talismanic in Lancashire’s Vitality County Championship team and debuted in T20s last month. He just seems to make things happen.
Keep an eye on: This could be the campaign which sees Rocky Flintoff make his first-team debut. The middle order batter, 16, with a famous father has scored centuries for Lancashire’s second team and for the England Under 19s already this summer. He’s a tall, aggressive and fearless right-hander. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?!
Final thought: Beaten finalists in 2022, quarter-finalists last year, Lancashire should go close to making it third time lucky. There are a few ifs, buts and TBCs surrounding their overseas situation. Chris Green, for example, has a Caribbean Premier League T20 deal from late August onwards and is also on standby for The Hundred.
MIDDLESEX
Captain: Mark Stoneman
Overseas players: None
2023 finish: Seventh (Group A)
2023 leading run scorer: Joe Cracknell (290)
2023 leading wicket taker: Ethan Bamber (12)
Key player: Luke Hollman – the leg-spinner is one of very few to emerge from the T20 campaign with white-ball form after 23 wickets. With three of Middlesex’s four home games on out-grounds, his ability to apply the long handle over short boundaries is another plus.
Keep an eye on: Noah Cornwell – we’ve seen glimpses of the England U19 seamer’s talent in the Vitality Blast and with Tom Helm and Ryan Higgins away on The Hundred duty this represents another good opportunity. The fact he bowls left-arm brings variety and two of Middlesex’s four games will be on his home ground at Radlett.
Final thought: With five first XI call-ups to The Hundred having left explosive batting resources depleted, the Seaxes are likely to need their promising, but largely inexperienced bowling attack to defend smaller totals than they’d like or to keep any chase within bounds.
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
Captain: Lewis McManus
Overseas player: Prithvi Shaw (India)
2023 finish: Sixth (Group B)
2023 leading run scorer: Prithvi Shaw (429)
2023 leading wicket taker: Rob Keogh (12)
Key player: Shaw vowed to return after a knee injury cut short an incredible maiden stint for the Steelbacks last year, which included a record-breaking 244 against Somerset – the sixth highest individual score in List A history. If he gets remotely close to that form this year, Northamptonshire will be strong challengers.
Keep an eye on: At 19, Raphy Weatherall broke into Northamptonshire’s first team this season, making his first-class and T20 debuts. Able to bowl with real pace, his grit and maturity were evident when he was trusted with key overs in this year’s Vitality Blast. The Metro Bank One-Day Cup offers him another opportunity to impress.
Final thought: Northamptonshire carry momentum from a successful Vitality Blast campaign into the Metro-Bank One-Day Cup and, with almost a full squad available, should be favourites to reach the knockout stages. Saif Zaib is in the form of his life and will play a key role until Caribbean League commitments in mid-August.
SOMERSET
Captain: Sean Dickson
Overseas player: Migael Pretorius (South Africa)
2023 finish: Seventh (Group B)
2023 leading run scorer: Andy Umeed (613)
2023 leading wicket taker: Jack Brooks, Ned Leonard, Danny Lamb (8)
Key player: Andy Umeed blossomed as a Somerset player in this competition a year ago to such an extent that he has earned regular selection in the Vitality County Championship this season. He has worked hard on the attacking side of his game and is now high on confidence and capable of flaying opposition attacks.
Keep an eye on: Alfie Ogborne is fresh from signing a new two-year contract at the Cooper Associates County Ground. The 21-year-old left-arm seamer has progressed through Somerset’s age-group teams and club cricket with North Perrott and Bridgwater. He will be keen to justify the faith being shown in him.
Final thought: Losing as many as ten players to The Hundred has hampered Somerset’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup prospects in recent seasons and, with that situation repeated, they will again be relying on a group of young prospects to qualify from the group stage this season. Restricting opposition runs on the true batting pitches at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton, will be key.
WORCESTERSHIRE
Captain: Jake Libby
Overseas players: Nathan Smith (New Zealand)
2023 finish: Quarter-finals
2023 leading run scorer: Jake Libby (397)
2023 leading wicket taker: Josh Baker (17)
Key player: Jake Libby will again take over the captaincy of the 50-over side from club captain, Brett D'Oliveira. His calming presence at the top of the order is essential as he demonstrated consistently last summer with four half-centuries, while he is also capable of upping the scoring rate when the need requires.
Keep an eye on: Harry Darley. A raw but promising pace bowler who impressed in a T20 match versus New Zealand at Visit Worcestershire New Road last summer. Injuries to bowlers such as Nathan Smith, Joe Leach, Adam Finch and Ben Gibbon are likely to provide more opportunities in the 50-over competition.
Final thought: Worcestershire's forte looks to lie in their batting where there is plenty of strength in depth with only Adam Hose on duty at The Hundred. But a series of long term injuries in their seam attack may make it difficult to emulate last summer's success in reaching the last eight.
GROUP B
ESSEX
Captain: Tom Westley
Overseas player: None
2023 finish: Ninth (Group A)
2023 leading run-scorer: Beau Webster (256)
2023 leading wicket-taker: Beau Webster (14)
Key player: As the grandaddy in a team of comparative fledglings, captain Tom Westley will be expected to lead from the front and reprise his 2022 batting efforts when he hit two centuries at an average just below 50. His underused and undervalued off-breaks might also come in handy.
Keep an eye on: A big future is forecast for Charlie Allison. He got his eye in for the 50-over format with 87 for England U19 against Sri Lanka earlier this month. With two fifties, and a best of 85, he was only three runs off being the top Essex run-scorer in last season’s competition.
Final thought: Essex’s record in the one-day cup has been disappointing, to say the least – just one win last year. But the 2023 intake – Charlie Allison, Luc Benkenstein and Noah Thain – have all subsequently gained first-team experience and should spark an upturn in the team’s fortunes.
GLAMORGAN
Captain: Kiran Carlson
Overseas player: Colin Ingram (South Africa)
2023 finish: Fourth (Group B)
2023 leading run scorer: Eddie Byrom (352)
2023 leading wicket taker: Ben Kellaway (13)
Key player: In the absence of Chris Cooke, and with no second overseas player signed up for this competition so far, there is a lot of pressure on Colin Ingram to perform for Glamorgan in 50 over cricket. His nine List A hundreds for Glamorgan puts him third on the all-time list for the county, him hitting double digits hundreds for this team would be a big boost.
Keep an eye on: Ben Kellaway had a very good season for Glamorgan in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup last year to finish as top wicket taker. His opportunities with the ball have been limited to two overs in his six matches in the Vitality Blast, but expect him to take a more significant role in the 50-over format again.
Final thought: Going into the Vitality Blast the worry was that Glamorgan’s bowling would be the weak spot, but their attack has kept them in games at times this year. Where they have struggled is with consistency with the bat, the Metro Bank One-Day Cup is a chance for a white-ball batting reset as they look to claim the trophy they won in 2021.
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
Captain: Jack Taylor
Overseas players: Cameron Bancroft (Australia), Zafar Gohar (Pakistan)
2023 finish: Semi-finalists
2023 leading run scorer: Ollie Price (575)
2023 leading wicket taker: Paul van Meekeren (17)
Key player: James Bracey hit an unbeaten double century against Somerset in last season’s competition and has been in good form with the bat and the wicketkeeping gloves this summer. He is looking much more like the player who played Test cricket for England in 2021.
Keep an eye on: With only five first-class games under his belt, Ed Middleton is at the stage of his career when the Metro Bank One-Day Cup could greatly advance his development and the 23-year-old Devonian leg-spinner will be hoping for plenty of opportunities in the group games.
Final thought: Gloucestershire won six of their eight Group B matches last season and thrashed Lancashire in the quarter-finals, winning by eight wickets with 25.1 overs to spare. They also boasted a 198-run annihilation of arch-rivals Somerset at Bristol and, with less players than most involved in The Hundred, will again fancy their chances against anyone on home soil.
LEICESTERSHIRE
Captain: Lewis Hill
Overseas players: Ajinkya Rahane (India), Peter Handscomb (Australia)
2023 finish: Champions
2023 leading run scorer: Peter Handscomb (401)
2023 leading wicket taker: Chris Wright (18)
Key player: Former India Test captain Ajinkya Rahane has joined up with the Foxes squad and is available for the entire competition. With three hundreds and 24 fifties in 90 ODIs on his record, he can make a big impact alongside experienced Aussie Peter Handscomb.
Keep an eye on: Sam Wood, a 6ft 4ins 19-year-old seam-bowling all-rounder, bowled with promise in his two appearances in the Vitality Blast and, with Josh Hull and Scott Currie signed up for The Hundred, will hope for more opportunities to impress in this competition.
Final thought: Defending their 2023 crown will not be easy, not least with rising stars Hull and Rishi Patel and the big-hitting Louis Kimber joining Rehan Ahmed among five players picked up by The Hundred, but a decent squad remains and with Rahane’s addition they have the potential to be contenders again.
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
Captain: Haseeb Hameed
Overseas players: None
2023 finish: Fifth (Group A)
2023 leading run scorer: Matt Montgomery (286)
2023 leading wicket takers: Brett Hutton, Dane Paterson (11)
Key player: Opening bat Ben Slater had a modest 2023 season by his own standards, but still boasts a remarkable List A career average of 52.18. A return to the form that has earned him six hundreds and 17 fifties in this format could be key to a stronger showing by Nottinghamshire.
Keep an eye on: Sam King, a 21-year-old batter who impressed on his two Metro Bank One-Day Cup appearances last season, and marked his T20 debut last week with 44 off 25 balls as Nottinghamshire ended a dismal Vitality Blast campaign with a win at Yorkshire. An extended run in the 50-over format should be on the cards.
Final thought: After an uncharacteristically poor Vitality Blast, Nottinghamshire have something to prove in this competition. Joint leading wicket-taker Dane Paterson is headed for the West Indies with South Africa, which leaves them with no overseas player, but there is still enough experience and potential in the squad to make an impact.
SUSSEX
Captain: John Simpson
Overseas players: None
2023 finish: Ninth (Group B)
2023 leading run scorer: Cheteshwar Pujara (384)
2023 leading wicket taker: Jack Carson (12)
Key player: Danny Lamb was a good one-day player with previous county Lancashire, and the talented all-rounder has proved his worth for Sussex already in the Vitality Blast. His middle-order experience, variations of pace with the ball and ability to score quickly will be crucial.
Keep an eye on: Coach Paul Farbrace confirmed that he will be giving youngsters an opportunity which means Henry Rogers, Zach Lion-Cachet and Bertie Foreman, who all made their debuts in this format in 2023, and Archie Lenham can expect further opportunities.
Final thought: With Ollie Robinson, James Coles, Tom Alsop and Tymal Mills at The Hundred and no overseas players Sussex will rely on a mixture of youth and experience to improve on a record of one win in 2023, while their travelling supporters will have the pleasure of experiencing York, Welbeck and Neath for the first time.
SURREY
Captain: Rory Burns
Overseas players: None
2023 finish: Eighth (Group A)
2023 leading run-scorer: Ryan Patel (330)
2023 leading wicket-taker: Cameron Steel (10)
Key player: Dom Sibley – the 22-times capped former England Test opener won white-ball selection in Surrey’s Vitality Blast campaign this summer in an ongoing bid to show he is something more than just a proven and talented run-accumulator in first-class cricket. A highly-experienced 28-year-old, he can bring authority to Surrey’s top order as well as the natural power that comes from his imposing build, and will be looking to make a statement of white-ball intent in this year’s 50-over competition.
Young Player to watch: Ollie Sykes – the 19-year-old was named as Wisden Schools Cricketer of the Year in 2023 and made his senior Surrey debut during the Vitality Blast group stages. The exciting left-hander, who also bowls spin, has been a member of Surrey’s age group pathway and academy since the age of seven.
Final thought: As in recent seasons, Surrey will have to contest the Metro Bank One-Day Cup without a phalanx of players contracted to appear in The Hundred. This time they are missing 15, one more than in 2023, plus Australians Sean Abbott and Spencer Johnson, who represented the club as overseas players earlier in the summer. Surrey’s philosophy, however, is that gives huge opportunity to many of their emerging younger cricketers as well a chance for the likes of Sibley, Patel, Steel, Ben Geddes, James Taylor and others to shine.
WARWICKSHIRE
Captain: Ed Barnard
Overseas players: none
2023 finish: Semi-finalist
2023 leading run scorer: Ed Barnard (616)
2023 leading wicket taker: Olly Hannon-Dalby (24)
Key player: Ed Barnard has fully fulfilled his aspiration, on joining Warwickshire from Worcestershire, to take his game to the next level. With bat and ball and as vice-captain the 28-year-old has become central to the Bears’ planning and will lead the 50-over side.
Keep an eye on: Hamza Shaikh. Although only just turned 18, Shaikh, who recently captained England Under 19s in the Youth Test series against Sri Lanka, shows a maturity on and off the pitch which suggests that his abundant natural talent as a batter is ready to fly in first-team cricket.
Final thought: The 50-over competition comes at an interesting time for Warwickshire and how they fare will heavily shape the fans’ view of how things are going at Edgbaston. It’s been a polarised season - formidable in the Vitality Blast but without a County Championship win. Where on that spectrum will their 50-over cricket sit?
YORKSHIRE
Captain: Shan Masood
Overseas players: Shan Masood (Pakistan)
2023 finish: Sixth (Group A)
2023 leading run scorer: Shan Masood (217)
2023 leading wicket taker: Matthew Revis (10)
Key player: Young leg-spinner Jafer Chohan took five and four wickets in successive Vitality Blast games recently. The 22-year-old is yet to make his 50-over debut, having been with Southern Brave in last year’s The Hundred, and has been inspired to chase his England dream by seeing the emergence of Shoaib Bashir and Rehan Ahmed on the international stage.
Keep an eye on: Eighteen-year-old top order batter Noah Kelly started the summer on Yorkshire’s Academy but signed his maiden rookie professional contract earlier this month. A left-hander the county are very excited about, he has scored heavy runs for the Academy and second team. Could get his first-team chance in the coming weeks.
Final thought: Captain Shan Masood’s unavailability for any potential quarter and semi-final because of Test match commitments would be an inconvenience, but Yorkshire look well stocked with young and exciting batters. Will Luxton, for example, scored a century for the County Select XI against the touring West Indians at the start of the month.
