The One Day Cup has essentially gained the status of a development competition since the establishment of The Hundred. While controversial, it has allowed bright young stars to establish themselves as ones to watch for the future while the biggest names are away playing in the franchise summer. Here are a few of those youngsters earmarking themselves as future stars.
Alex Green
Eighteen year old Green had played just three List A fixtures before the start of the One-Day Cup this year, and two matches in he had more than doubled his wicket-tally in the format. He took his maiden List A five-for against Surrey, with his victims including Ben Foakes, and four days later repeated the feat against Gloucestershire. At six foot seven and already with good pace, Green is another up and coming quick to keep an eye on.
Ben Mayes
Teenage wicketkeeper-batter Mayes scored two half-centuries representing England U19s against India this summer, and has been a fixture in Hampshire's One-Day Cup side in their first three games. He scored a rapid 74 in the first match of their campaign against Glamorgan, partnering Nick Gubbins as the opener reached a century, and also took three catches and a stumping in the match. He also scored 67 as part of a first-class counties select XI against Pakistan Shaheens last month.
Ollie Sykes
Sykes was named Wisden School's Cricketer of the Year in 2024, and has been impressing for Surrey's second XI this season. The 20-year-old has been given an opportunity for the One-Day Cup, and rewarded it with a half-century in his first match of the competition. He followed that up with a lone knock in a losing cause against Gloucestershire, coming in with Surrey 33-3, and falling three runs short of a century as no other batter was able to pass 33.
Isaac Mohammed
Mohammed made his first-ever professional half-century in his second-ever One Day Cup game. He represented Worcestershire in eight T20 Blast games this summer as well, scoring 154 runs at an identical strike rate. Mohammed also made a name for himself in the U19 series this summer, hammering four sixes on youth ODI debut against India, following in the footsteps of his hard-hitting uncle, Moeen Ali.
Tazeem Ali
One of the most exciting mystery spinners currently on the county circuit is Tazeem Ali, who has so far played two matches in the One Day Cup and taken five-fors in both of them. He took his maiden List A five wicket haul for Warwickshire against Northants, outshining India spinner Yuzvendra Chahal who was also playing in that match. He then repeated the performance three days later against Kent, returning figures of 5-54 in under nine overs and bowling Warwickshire to a 79-run victory.
Ali also represented England U19s against India U19s, and made his List A debut in 2023. In 2024, he played in the U19 World Cup, and was England's leading wicket-taker with 14 wickets at 9.64 apiece. Only two other spinners have taken more wickets than Ali in a single edition of the men's U19 World Cup.
Thomas Rew
The younger Rew brother made his senior debut for Somerset this season, and played alongside older brother James against Durham in the One Day Cup. The brothers came together at the crease with Somerset in some trouble, having lost two wickets in five balls and slipped to 78-3 in a chase of 256. Together, they guided Somerset out of trouble, with Thomas outshining James. Their partnership was worth 95 off 94 balls before James was out, and Thomas went on to finish unbeaten on 84 off 81 balls as Somerset won with more than three overs to spare.
As with his older brother, who has taken on the One Day Cup captaincy this season, the younger Rew also has had his leadership potential recognised. He captained England U19s against India U19s this summer, starring in the ODI format by scoring 280 runs across five matches, including a century in the second match of the series.
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