The County 50-over event returns for another season, with a team-by-team preview.
With last year’s champions Kent facing Yorkshire in Scarborough in one of five matches to kick off the 18-team championship. Although it will be overshadowed once again by the commencement of the Hundred,
The 2023 Metro Bank One-Day Cup begins on Tuesday, with last year’s champions Kent facing Yorkshire in Scarborough in one of five matches to kick off the 18-team championship. Although it will be overshadowed once again by the commencement of the Hundred, the competition provided a platform for some young players to display their talents last season and remains relevant with the 50-over World Cup approaching in October. Here’s a breakdown of the teams:
Group A
Essex
Captain: Tom Westley
Overseas player: Simon Harmer (South Africa)
2022 finish: Sixth (Group B)
2022 leading run scorer: Grant Roelofsen (355)
2022 leading wicket taker: Shane Snater (14)
Key player: Although it may seem obvious, the availability of Simon Harmer again this year might impact Essex’s campaign. Not only with his mesmerizing off-spin bowling and, sometimes, some huge hitting with the bat, but also as a crucial uncle figure for the young players making their first team debuts.
Young Player to watch Noah Thain, Josh Rymell, Robin Das, Jamal Richards, and Luc Benkenstein have all benefited from experience in the first-team environment in the One-Day Cup and delivered some impressive performances. Thain, 18, might be the next cab off the rank after he showed promise against Ireland in May, scoring 36 off 27 balls with three sixes and a strike rate of 133.
Final thought:. Tom Westley’s form improved dramatically after last year’s One-Day Cup. Two centuries and two fifties in seven innings set the tone for the captain’s 2023 red-ball season, in which he has already scored over 900 runs. The 50-and-over competition benefits more than just the young.
Hampshire
Captain: Nick Gubbins
Overseas players: N/A
2022 finish: Semi-finals
2022 leading runscorer: Tom Prest (402)
2022 leading wicket taker: John Turner (20)
Key player: Tom Prest It’s difficult to believe the right-handed hitter, and sometimes Offie, is only 20 years old, given his maturity and expertise. He had over 400 runs last year and had all of the characteristics, attitude, and aesthetics to be James Vince’s talismanic replacement. He missed much of the Vitality Blast due to a foot injury and will make up for lost runs in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup.
Young Player to Watch: Eddie Jack, a lively quick bowler that England scouts have already identified as a potential future international. The 17-year-old has already made an impression for England Under-19s and will draw attention with his quickness. There is also a lot of buzz surrounding Dom Kelly. The all-rounder made his debut in the league as a 16-year-old last year and has been compared to Chris Woakes.
Final thought:. Hampshire was ‘Darren Stevens-ed’ in last year’s semi-final when everything in the group stage pointed to a white-ball double. They have basically the same XI this year and are unquestionably among the big favorites. They had three of the top seven wicket-takers in 2022 and are expected to have a similar stat this season, while Gubbins, Prest, Ben Brown, Aneurin Donald, Toby Albert, Fletcha Middleton, and Ian Holland constitute a gluttonous batting lineup.
Kent
Captain: Joe Denly
Overseas players: James Bazley (Australia)
2022 finish: Winners
2022 leading run scorer: Ollie Robinson (534)
2022 leading wicket taker: Hamid Qadri (15)
Key player: Harry Finch. Finch, who was given a two-year contract ahead of the 2023 season, has been making the most of his second shot in professional cricket and possesses all of the skills required to prosper in the 50-over format. It’s no coincidence that Kent’s unlikely journey to the final began after Finch was given a short-term contract last year.
Young player to watch: Arafat Bhuiyan. He may be middle-aged in cricket standards at the age of 26, but the Dhaka-born fast-medium bowler only made the red-ball side earlier this season after spending six seasons in the 2nd XI circuit. He grabbed four for 78 against Surrey after being honed by the South Asian Cricket Academy, and he may now have his moment to shine.
Final thought:. Kent’s triumph in 2022 came as a complete surprise. Last year, they appeared to be on the verge of elimination, but Grant Stewart’s last-ball six against Yorkshire kept them alive, and they were rewarded for the brave decision to stick with the players who got them to the final when they beat a full-strength Lancashire.
Lancashire
Captain: Keaton Jennings
Overseas player: Dane Vilas (South Africa)
2022 Finish: Finalists
2022 leading runscorer: Keaton Jennings (390)
2022 leading wicket taker: Liam Hurt (15)
Key player: Last season’s One-Day Cup saw Liam Hurt and Danny Lamb share 29 wickets. Hurt, on the other hand, was released last winter, and Lamb will be in Sussex this winter. It’s unclear how much time Lamb will get. Others, notably in-form seamer Tom Bailey, who took 12 50-over wickets last year, will have to step up. In 2023, he will be in excellent Championship form.
Young Player to Watch: Tom Aspinwall: The 19-year-old seam bowling all-rounder was a member of England’s Under-19s team that reached the World Cup final in February of last year. He has yet to make his first-team debut, but he is sure to see action following some excellent recent second-team play.
Final thought:. Despite losing seven players to the Hundred, Lancashire has to be one of the favorites in this campaign. They have the depth and quality to get past last season’s final setback against Kent. With no titles in the Vitality Blast and probably none in the Championship this year, this is a crucial competition for the county.
Leicestershire
Captain: Lewis Hill
Overseas players: Peter Handscomb (Australia), Wiaan Mulder (South Africa).
2022 finish: quarterfinals
2022 leading runscorer: Wiaan Mulder (533)
2022 leading wicket takers: Chris Wright and Beuran Hendricks (17 each)
Key player: Rishi Patel is Leicestershire’s leading scorer in both red-ball and T20 cricket this summer, with four Championship hundreds and one in the Vitality Blast, and his impact is expected to be significant. The former Essex batter, 24, has certainly done enough to win the county’s player-of-the-year title, but if he can replicate similar form in this competition, it will be a formality.
Young Player to Watch: Josh Hull: The Academy product, a 6ft 7 left-arm seamer who will turn 19 in August, has made an impression in both red-ball and T20 formats this season, taking 14 wickets in 10 games. The Metro Bank One-Day Cup is an opportunity for him to build on the positive impression he has already made.
Final thought: The Foxes had a poor Vitality Blast campaign, which was quickly followed by the dismissal of head coach Paul Nixon due to unfavorable fan reaction. A successful showing in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup, where they were competitive last season, could help bring some disgruntled fans back on board ahead of a September push for Championship promotion.
Middlesex
Captain: TBC
Overseas players: Pieter Malan (South Africa)
2022 finish: Fourth (Group A)
2022 leading runscorer: Stephen Eskinazi (658)
2022 leading wicket taker: Umesh Yadav (16)
Key player: Mark Stoneman With both regular white-ball captains Stephen Eskinazi and Max Holden away on Hundred service, the Seaxes will rely on their seasoned opener to set the tone in the powerplay. If Middlesex is to set or chase down competitive totals, the 36-year-old left-hander will need to lay the groundwork for bigger hitters like Joe Cracknell, John Simpson, and Luke Hollman.
Young Player to Watch: Blake Cullen: In 2021, the youthful speedster made his debut on the one-day scene, gaining a late call-up to London Spirit for the inaugural The Hundred. Despite being plagued by injuries subsequently, the still-young 21-year-old demonstrated during the last Vitality Blast campaign that he is ready to capitalize on his early promise and help an assault that has struggled in the white-ball format.
Final thought: The lads from the north side of the Thames sorely need this tournament to kick-start a disappointing season. They came close to making the knockout rounds last year, but with more than 100 call-ups this year, others will have to emerge from the shadows if they are to compete at the top level.
Nottinghamshire
Captain: Haseeb Hameed
Overseas players: Dane Paterson (South Africa).
2022 finish: quarterfinals
2022 leading runscorer: Ben Slater (432).
2022 leading wicket taker: Brett Hutton (22).
Key player: Ben Slater When he joined Nottinghamshire from Derbyshire in 2019, 50-over cricket was his strongest format, and while he has established himself at the top of the order in the Championship side, he remains a powerhouse in the shorter format. Slater upped his already superb career List A average to an astounding 56.69 with three fifties and a hundred last year.
Young Player to Watch: James Hayes: The 22-year-old pace bowler appeared in two One-Day Cup matches last season and will be hoping for more opportunities this season after taking 29 all-format wickets for Nottinghamshire Second XI, although all-rounder Tom Loten, who moved from Yorkshire last winter, has scored a weight of Second XI runs as well as taking useful wickets.
Final thought: Despite the Hundred depleting their resources once again, the Outlaws may add leg-spinner Calvin Harrison and the expertise of Luke Fletcher to an already well-stocked bowling lineup, boosting a group that reached the knockout stage last season. They will believe they can match that if players like Lyndon James and Matt Montgomery produce runs in the middle order.
Surrey
Captain: Rory Burns
Overseas players: None
2022 finish: Seventh (Group A)
2022 leading run-scorer: Tom Lawes (318)
2022 leading wicket-taker: Conor McKerr (10)
Key player: Ben Geddes. Last year, the 22-year-old from Epsom captained a young Surrey side, scoring two half-centuries but most importantly acquiring critical early-career leadership experience. He is a gifted strokemaker who will now be expected to score large runs at the top of the order and demonstrate the skill that has already seen him score first-class hundreds despite limited red-ball appearances.
Young Player to Watch: Yousef Majid He was only 19 years old and had just finished his senior year at Cranleigh School when he played in all eight group games last summer. It was the slow left-arm spinner’s maiden senior appearance, and he impressed with his control and calm while claiming nine wickets at a good economy rate of 5.57 runs per over.
Final thought: Surrey has 14 players contracted to play in the Hundred, which means that many of its budding younger cricketers will have another opportunity to make a name for themselves in the 50-over game. Last year, it was then-teenager Tom Lawes, who is now a first-team regular in all forms and a Hundred call-up, who sparkled, but this season, watch for Geddes, Majid, and middle-order batsman Nico Reifer to shine.
Yorkshire
Captain: Shan Masood
Overseas player: Shan Masood (Pakistan)
2022 finish: Fifth (Group B)
2022 leading runscorer: Harry Duke (429)
2022’s leading wicket taker: Matthew Waite (14)
Key player: Shan Masood. The club captain returns from Pakistan Test duty to command a young side that has been reduced by nine players due to the Hundred. He is the seasoned captain and the key top-order batter around whom others can play. Perfect preparation for the left-hander ahead of a possible ODI World Cup campaign in October.
Young Player to Watch: James Wharton: The 22-year-old batter has yet to make his List A debut, but he has shown promise in the other two forms this year, including a scorching century in the Vitality Blast group stage. Huddersfield’s towering right-hander hits long and hard down the middle.
Final thought: Ottis Gibson has left his position as assistant coach with the Northern Superchargers in the Hundred to take over as head coach of the Vikings in the One-Day Cup. Yorkshire averted a point deduction from the CDC, giving the club hope of competing for silverware this summer.
Group B
Derbyshire
Captain: Brooke Guest
Overseas Players: Haider Ali (Pakistan), Suranga Lakmal (Sri Lanka)
2022 finish: Seventh (Group B)
2022 leading run scorer: Luis Reece (330 runs)
2022’s leading wicket-taker, Ben Aitchison (13 wickets),
Key player: Luis Reece. Derbyshire will be hoping that Reece has another successful campaign with both bat and ball. Once he gets in, the all-rounder can score quickly, and his ability to swing the ball at a lively pace will improve an assault that has been weakened by injuries and Hundred call-ups.
Young player to watch: Harry Came. Came is progressing nicely in both red and white-ball cricket, which is fitting for someone whose father runs a vineyard. In May, the 24-year-old opener recorded his first-class century and contributed crucial innings in the Vitality Blast, notably a 34-ball 50 in Derbyshire’s record T20 opening stand against Leicestershire.
Final thought: With Lakmal still recovering from a groin injury, Aitchison out for the season, and George Scrimshaw and Zac Chappell involved in the Hundred, the bowling is a concern. Although Lakmal should be ready for the later stages, Derbyshire will need Sam Conners, Anuj Dal, and Reece to perform well if they are to advance to the knockout stages.
Durham
Captain: Alex Lees
Overseas players: David Bedingham (South Africa), Migael Pretorius (South Africa).
2022 finish: Ninth (Group A)
2022 leading runscorer: Graham Clark (277)
2022 leading wicket taker: Chris Rushworth (12)
Key player: Alex Lees, Durham’s white-ball captain, is in fine form with the bat in the LV= Insurance County Championship and will be determined to keep it up in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup. Durham reached the final in 2021 thanks to Lees’ two centuries and 562 runs, and his absence due to England service last season hung large over the North-East outfit’s destiny. If he can keep up his red-ball form, he could win the championship this year.
Young Player to Watch: Ben McKinney: Durham has a history of producing powerful left-handed batters called Ben, and McKinney will have the opportunity to demonstrate his ability in the One-Day Cup. After starting the season’s first Championship game, the 19-year-old has struggled to find first-team opportunities. The white-ball competition, on the other hand, should complement his skill set, providing a boundary-striker late in the order for Ryan Campbell’s men behind a strong batting line-up.
Final thought: Durham went from being finalists in 2021 to having only one win last season. Expect a comeback from Lees and his club, who may have enough power in their batting lineup to make a run similar to the previous four. Their bowling assault will be a problem, with Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Ben Raine, and Bas de Leede all participating in the Hundred. Durham will need one of their younger seamers to step up with overs and wickets, but Migael Pretorius and the fit-again Paul Coughlin will provide crucial experience.
Glamorgan
Captain: Kiran Carlson
Overseas player: Colin Ingram (South Africa)
2022 finish: Fourth (Group B)
2022 leading run scorer: Colin Ingram (342).
2022 leading wicket taker: Kiran Carlson (9)
Key player: Colin Ingram For several seasons, the South African has been the backbone of Glamorgan’s white-ball hitting. Ingram was Glamorgan’s leading run-scorer in the 50-over competition last year and, after averaging 47 in the just-finished Vitality Blast, will be counted on to lead the team’s batting once more.
Young Player to Watch:Tom Bevan: Last year, he scored 134 runs off 103 balls in a triumph over Hampshire. More of the same would be extremely beneficial if the ex-Millfield School product was given another shot. Last season, he was named second-team player of the year and John Derrick Young Player of the Year.
Final thought: They were champions in 2021 and came agonizingly close to making the knockout stages again last season. Skipper Carlson holds himself to high standards on the field as well as with the bat and ball. Two summers ago, their high energy earned them the crown. It will come down to following the leader.
Gloucestershire
Captain: Graeme van Buuren
Overseas players: Zafar Gohar (Pakistan)
2022 finish: Fifth (Group A)
2022 leading runscorer: Jack Taylor (401)
2022 leading wicket takers: Zafar Gohar and Paul van Meekeren (13 each)
Key player: Jack Taylor. The seasoned all-rounder averaged 66.83 with the bat in the season’s championship and also did well with his leg-spin, taking 11 wickets at an economy rate of less than six an over.
Young Player to Watch: Joe Phillips: The 19-year-old Cornishman from Truro made his first-class debut against Glamorgan in the LV= Insurance County Championship match at Cheltenham. Prior to that, he hit 63 and 95 in a second XI game with Kent and will doubtless be given plenty of chances in the 50-over championship.
Final thought: Gloucestershire have one more chance to salvage their season after failing to qualify for the knockout stages of the Vitality Blast and struggling in the County Championship Second Division. Their chances are boosted by the fact that only two players were chosen for the Hundred, and despite a small roster, they should be competitive.
Northamptonshire
Captain: Lewis McManus
Overseas players: Sam Whiteman (Australia)
2022 finish: Eighth (Group B)
2022 leading runscorer: Will Young (345)
2022’s leading wicket taker: Nathan Buck (14)
Key player: Emilio Gay He scored over 300 runs in last year’s championship and comes into this year’s event in good form, having just scored his fourth Championship ton at Emirates Old Trafford. The slick left-hander is working hard to establish himself as an all-rounder rather than a red-ball specialist, and his runs could be crucial to Northamptonshire’s success.
Young Player to Watch: Justin Broad: Following a succession of excellent performances for the second team, the batter received his first professional deal in June. Broad, who has made nine international appearances for Germany, quickly established himself as a regular fixture in the Blast and Championship, taking important wickets with his medium pace.
Final thought: Northamptonshire are now bottom of Division One, so the competition provides an opportunity to relaunch their season, with goalie Lewis McManus taking over as captain. While the seasoned Rob Keogh, Ben Sanderson, and Tom Taylor are anticipated to play, this will also be a chance for the club’s outstanding young bowlers to push their claims.
Somerset
Captain: Sean Dickson
Overseas players: Curtis Campher (Ireland)
2022 finish: Eighth (Group A)
2022 leading runscorer: James Rew (376)
2022 leading wicket taker: Kasey Aldridge (13)
Key player: Sean Dickson: The former Durham opener had a difficult start to his Somerset career in red ball cricket this season but blossomed in the Vitality Blast, earning lasting popularity with supporters by top-scoring in Vitality Blast Finals Day victories over Surrey and Essex despite coming in with his side in trouble both times.
Young Player to Watch: Alfie Ogborne: The Yeovil-born left-arm seamer was still a teenager when he broke into Somerset’s team in this competition a year ago and when he made his first-class debut this season, claiming match figures of three wickets for 89 runs from 28 overs in a drawn LV= Insurance County Championship match against Hampshire at Taunton.
Final thought: James Rew and Kasey Aldridge, Last season’s best run-maker and wicket-taker, have both gone on to play regular County Championship cricket this season, and Somerset will be expecting similar development from some of the youngsters who will benefit from the Hundred’s absence of 10 senior players.
Sussex
Captain: Tom Haines
Overseas players: Cheteshwar Pujara (India)
2022 finish: Semi-finalists
2022 leading run scorer: Cheteshwar Pujara (624).
2022 leading wicket taker: Ari Karvelas (20)
Key player: Cheteshwar Pujara. The influence Pujara can have as captain and batsman should not be underestimated. Sussex were unknown a year earlier, but he hit three hundreds as they won the group, and he led the side deftly. He also returns in good form, having scored 133 runs for West Zone on a brief visit to India at the beginning of July.
Young Player to Watch: James Coles He took nine wickets last year, and his offspin has improved since then, while he also promises quick runs in the middle order. The 19-year-old has two Championship hundreds this season, and his free-flowing style should suit the 50-over format.
Final thought: Sussex will be hoping for a repeat run to the semi-finals, especially with Ali Orr, who scored Sussex’s maiden 50-over double century last year, and Steve Finn returning from injury. Look out for Ari Karvelas and Brad Currie to make an impression with the new ball, and keep in mind that Sussex can still bring in a second overseas player if necessary.
Warwickshire
Captain: Will Rhodes
Overseas players: Mir Hamza (Pakistan)
2022 finish: Sixth (Group A)
2022 leading runscorer: Rob Yates (412).
2022 leading wicket taker: Olly Hannon-Dalby (16)
Key player: Jake Lintott After an incredible climb in recent years, the left-arm wrist spinner’s career trajectory has seen its first drop. For the first time, the 30-year-old will be aiming to regain the form and confidence that propelled him so far and so rapidly. If he does, he could get a hatful of wickets.
Young Player to Watch: Ethan Brookes The multi-talented all-rounder is at a crossroads. Much of his cricket, particularly with the bat, suggests he is ready for a sustained first-team opportunity, but spots at Warwickshire are few. A smashing 50-over campaign would impress the coaches at Edgbaston and, if his first-team path remains blocked there, elsewhere.
Final thought: Despite the absence of important players in the Hundred, interest in 50-over cricket at Edgbaston remains high, and audiences have been outstanding. The Bears fans enjoy seeing home-grown players break through, but this is the club’s only opportunity for silverware this season, so they would appreciate a legitimate shot at the trophy—or at least qualification from the group.
Worcestershire
Captain: Jake Libby
Overseas player: Azhar Ali (Pakistan)
2022 finish: Ninth (Group B)
2022 leading runscorer: Jake Libby (332).
2022 leading wicket taker: Dillon Pennington (10)
Key player: Jake Libby: The prolific opener in all formats of the game will captain the side for the first time in the 50-over competition, providing stability and a calming effect for the younger players. The Rapids’ leading run-scorer from last season provides a solid foundation on which the more potent hitters may build.
Young Player to Watch: Kashif Ali: Kashif, the first SACA player to sign with a first-class county, showed glimpses of his talent last summer, including a magnificent century on his List A debut against Kent. A fractured thumb hampered his progress, but he is projected to make a significant impression with his wristy stroke play in 2023.
Final thought: Worcestershire were weakened by the call-up of several players to the Hundred at the eleventh hour in 2022, and their results showed this. The Northern Superchargers will be without Adam Hose, but the squad is significantly stronger and capable of repeating their excellent performances in the Vitality Blast.
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