Metro Bank One-Day Cup - Stokes return adds intrigue as counties assemble for One-Day Cup

It may be on the under-card for the coming month, but the Metro Bank One-Day Cup promises to be another compelling competition for the 18 first-class counties, with opportunities for a range of rookies to make their mark. And, this year, with the added intrigue of Ben Stokes’ availability for Durham. Here’s a preview of all the teams, supplied by the ECB Reporters Network:

Derbyshire

Captain: Harry Came
2025 position: 8th (Group A)
2025 most runs: Caleb Jewell (438)
2025 most wickets: Ben Aitchison (13)

Why they can win the competition: Although they have lost white-ball whirlwind Aneurin Donald and Matthew Montgomery to The Hundred, Derbyshire still have an experienced squad to choose from with Wayne Madsen’s one-day skills and nous bolstering a strong batting line-up.

Player to watch: England’s Shoaib Bashir. The 22-year-old off-spinner is keen to play white-ball cricket and will bring international pedigree to the bowling unit. On dry pitches, his ability to get bounce from a high action makes him a potential match-winner.

Young gun: Rory Haydon made his mark in last year’s competition and the right-arm pace bowler has made impressive progress this season in red-ball cricket. He challenges the batters with his ability to combine a consistent line with late movement.

Final thought: After an underwhelming Vitality T20 Blast campaign, Derbyshire will be out to show they can be contenders in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup format. But to turn promise into prosperity, they have to perform better in pressure moments to get over the line. Nigel Gardner

Durham

Captain: Kasey Aldridge
2025 Position: 6th (Group B)
2025 Most Runs: Will Rhodes (429)
2025 Most Wickets: Will Rhodes (14)

Why they can win the competition: Durham haven’t hit the heights in limited-overs cricket in recent seasons, the Vitality T20 Blast included, but they’re in such a good position at the top of Division Two in the Rothesay County Championship and can give this competition the full monty.

Player to watch: Former England Test captain Ben Stokes is available for this competition having retired from international cricket last month. All-rounder Stokes, the star of the 2019 50-over World Cup triumph, will be an invaluable mentor for Durham’s up-and-comers, as well as a matchwinner in his own right.

Young gun: Possibly the time for left-arm quick James Minto to break through in senior cricket. Limited first-team exposure since debuting aged 16 in 2024 but has just enjoyed a productive five-wicket return for England U19s in an ODI series win against South Africa.

Final thought: South African batter David Bedingham is registered as an overseas but is unlikely to feature. His compatriot fast bowler Duanne Olivier will fill that role. Emilio Gay is available prior to the start of next month’s Rothesay Test series against Pakistan. Graham Hardcastle

Essex

Captain: Tom Westley
2025 Position: 4th (Group A)
2025 Most Runs: Tom Westley (561)
2025 Most Wickets: Charlie Bennett & Matt Critchley (12)

Why they can win the competition: Momentum. Essex won their last five games in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup last season, so are clearly on a roll, albeit after an interval of a year. The squad is largely unchanged and has since added experience and depth.

Player to watch: Tom Westley – the experienced captain enjoyed a purple patch in the competition a year ago with two centuries and 561 runs at an average of 70. Having sat out the Vitality T20 Blast he will be fresh and raring to go.

Young gun: Mitchell Killeen – the 21-year-old seamer has not broken into the first team yet since his move from Durham. But the 50-over competition could provide him with the opening he requires to kickstart his Essex career.

Final thought: It’s not just a development competition for players. For the second year, Essex entrust head-coach duties to batting coach Tom Huggins to enhance his education. Last season he oversaw five victories at a time when Essex couldn’t buy a win elsewhere. Martin Smith

Glamorgan

2025 Position: 9th (Group A)
2025 Most Runs: Asa Tribe (401)
2025 Most Wickets: Zain ul Hassan & Ned Leonard (6)

Why they can win the competition: This is a competition that has brought success for Glamorgan, with two titles in the past five years. With five players missing, they will be hindered by the Hundred more than ever before, but their youthful talents might cause a few upsets.

Player to watch: Andy Gorvin. Despite just 79 career matches, at 29 years of age Gorvin will be one of the most experienced players in the side. His white-ball, box-of-tricks skillset provides that unpredictable but reliable bowler you want in your side.

Young gun: Romano Franco. Glamorgan will likely have at least six under-23s playing but Franco is the most likely to stand out. With Mason Crane and Ben Kellaway absent, the 19-year-old slow left-armer already has a year of this tournament under his belt.

Final thought: Hopes might not be too high for this year’s edition with Glamorgan currently coach- and captain-less, but what it will bring is a chance to see who announce themselves next, as Asa Tribe and Tom Norton did last year. Blake Bint

Gloucestershire

Captain: Jack Taylor
2025 Position: Quarter-finals
2025 Most Runs: James Bracey (572)
2025 Most Wickets: Matt Taylor (14)

Why they can win the competition: Gloucestershire do not lose any players to the Hundred so, with the exception of overseas signings Liam Scott and D’Arcy Short, they will be able to field the players who got to the quarters in the Vitality T20 Blast this summer.

Player to watch: Tommy Boorman has developed through Gloucestershire’s age groups and, at 21, has now represented the club in all formats of the domestic game. His unbeaten 33 saw them to victory over Leicestershire in last season’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup.

Young gun: Kamran Dhariwal smashed a 13-ball half-century in the recent Vitality T20 Blast group game against Worcestershire. The 21-year-old product of the South Asian Cricket Academy is studying medicine at Bristol University but looks to have a bright future as a cricketer.

Final thought: Gloucestershire reeled off six group wins in succession at the start of last summer’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup before losing the next two and their quarter-final. They like the format and are keen to build on their Vitality T20 Blast form that saw them reach the quarter-finals of that competition. Richard Latham

Hampshire

Captain: Nick Gubbins
2025 Position: Runners-up
2025 Most Runs: Nick Gubbins (707)
2025 Most Wickets: Eddie Jack (13)

Why they can win the competition: Hampshire have reached the knockout stage in each of the past four years – losing the final twice. Their XI will be full of dependable know-how, plus an exciting Indian overseas in Ashutosh Sharma.

Player to watch: Nick Gubbins was the competition’s leading run-scorer last year and will be targeting a similar return. He and Ali Orr consistently set the tone with the bat in 2025, while his captaincy has matured over the past four campaigns.

Young gun: Experience is the name of the game for Hampshire, but 19-year-old Oliver Williams could get some game time. The right-arm quick is tall, skilful and has shown good promise in the Second XI this season.

Final thought: Will it be the struggling Rothesay County Championship Hampshire or the consistently great Vitality T20 Blast Hampshire that turns up in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup? After two silver medals in three years, expectations are high that it’ll be the latter. Alex Smith

Kent

Captain: Daniel Bell-Drummond
2025 Position: 7th (Group B)
2025 Most Runs: Jaydn Denly (323)
2025 Most Wickets: Fred Klaassen (11)

Why they can win the competition: Youth and experience – four of the team that won the trophy in 2022: Ben Compton, Joey Evison, Harry Finch and Grant Stewart are available, alongside England Lions’ Ben Dawkins and Ekansh Singh, plus U19 international Jaydn Denly.

Player to watch: “Dawkins is going to be huge,” predicted Sam Billings last year and he made his first Kent century in the win at Northampton. Bats with power and patience and recently starred for England U19s v South Africa.

Young gun: Ekansh has broken through in all three formats in the last 12 months. A stylish, elegant middle order batter, his medium-pace is also a useful option as a first or second-change bowler.

Final thought: Kent have struggled to get the balance right between competing and developing in 50-over cricket since the 2022 win and last year’s team was too raw to seriously challenge, but they look a little more streetwise this time around. Fred Atkins

Lancashire

Captain: George Balderson
2025 Position: 8th (Group B)
2025 Most Runs: Marcus Harris (337)
2025 Most Wickets: Arav Shetty (9)

Why they can win the competition: A young Lancashire side has only won three of 16 matches combined across the past two campaigns, with only one of those coming last season. Their squad had been decimated by Hundred call-ups but should be stronger through this campaign.

Player to watch: Josh Bohannon hasn’t had the season he would have hoped, but he’s enjoyed this competition recently with three centuries across 2024 and 2025. Fingers crossed, he can underpin a title challenge alongside batting colleagues like Marcus Harris and Keaton Jennings.

Young gun: Lancashire believe dynamic 17-year-old wicketkeeper-batter Joe Moores is a star of the future. The England Under 19s left-hander made his senior debut in last year’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup and has broken into the other two formats this summer.

Final thought: Off the Rothesay County Championship promotion pace, the Red Rose just failed to reach the quarter-finals of the Vitality T20 Blast, a stage of the competition they are regulars at. They desperately need a pick-me-up over the next few weeks. Graham Hardcastle

Leicestershire

Captain: Stephen Eskinazi
2025 Position: 7th (Group A)
2025 Most Runs: Shan Masood (400)
2025 Most Wickets: Alex Green (18)

Why they can win the competition: Leicestershire fans have endured a dismal season thus far but the Foxes have performed well in the 50-over format in recent seasons, winners of this competition in 2023 and semi-finalists in 2024. There is a confidence they can challenge again.

Player to watch: Young pace bowler Alex Green was a sensation in the 2025 competition, taking five wickets in an innings three times. Still only 19, and with more experience in the locker, he will again be a dangerous opponent.

Young gun: Former Surrey academy player Sheridon Gumbs impressed with his quality and composure on his first-class debut for Leicestershire last month. The 22-year-old left-hand batter has a chance to build on that promise after signing a new deal.

Final thought: Leicestershire’s season feels like it might benefit from a reset and installing experienced former Middlesex white-ball captain Eskinazi as 50-overs skipper looks a smart move. The 32-year-old also has an outstanding record in List A cricket, with six centuries in just 29 innings. The addition of well-credentialed young batter Hamza Shaikh on the eve of the tournament is exciting after he agreed a three-year deal. Jon Culley

Middlesex

Captain: Ben Geddes
2025 Position: Quarter-finals
2025 Most Runs: Sam Robson (502)
2025 Most Wickets: Henry Brookes (17)

Why they can win the competition: Middlesex made huge strides in this competition last year winning six group matches to make the knockout stages, demonstrating an ability to win games from unfavourable positions. They’re a different beast in 50-over cricket compared to the Vitality T20 Blast.

Player to watch: Luke Hollman – the leg-spinning allrounder, Middlesex’s top performer in the Blast, recently expressed his disappointment at missing out on selection for The Hundred. Don’t be surprised if this combative cricketer takes the opportunity to showcase himself to the franchise market.

Young gun: Naavya Sharma – the 20-year-old seamer built on his Lions’ call-up with impressive performances at the back end of the VitalityT20 Blast. If he can transfer the powerplay and death overs skills he exhibited to the longer white-ball format, he’ll be a match-winner.

Final thought: Even with young stars Caleb Falconer and Sebastian Morgan on The Hundred duty there’s reason for optimism. Middlesex might be a batter light but if the top five fire, the bowling resources are there to spearhead a challenge. Jon Batham

Northamptonshire

Captain: Nathan McSweeney
2025 Position: 9th (Group B)
2025 Most Runs: James Sales (268)
2025 Most Wickets: Liam Guthrie (9)

Why they can win the competition: Northamptonshire underwhelmed in last year’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup, but there are real signs of optimism this year, not least momentum from their run to Vitality T20 Blast Finals Day. Although they lose seven players to The Hundred, the club can call on several experienced players as well as the youngsters they blooded in last year’s competition.

Player to watch: Australia international Nathan McSweeney has been handed the captaincy. Not only in fine form in the Rothesay County Championship and Vitality T20 Blast, McSweeney brings considerable captaincy experience, being just the second skipper to lift all three trophies in Australian domestic cricket.

Young gun: All-rounder Gus Miller played a key role in Northamptonshire’s run to Second XI Finals Day this year and showed his temperament with a maiden Championship half-century after an emergency call-up against Durham. He will hope to use the Metro Bank One-Day Cup to establish himself in the senior side after only featuring once in the Blast.

Final thought: With so many Northamptonshire players featuring in The Hundred, this year’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup provides opportunities for several talented youngsters to stake their claims. They will be bolstered by veteran India international leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal who returns for his third stint with the Steelbacks. Jeremy Blackmore

Nottinghamshire

Captain: Haseeb Hameed
2025 Position: 5th (Group A)
2025 Most Runs: Jack Haynes (473)
2025 Most Wickets: Rob Lord (12)

Why they can win the competition: Having been in fine form in both the Rothesay County Championship and the Blast, there is plenty of confidence in the Trent Bridge dressing room and enough depth in the squad to mount a serious challenge for silverware on all fronts.

Player to watch: Jack Haynes, who amassed almost 500 runs in last season’s competition, has shown his quality in both red and white-ball cricket so far this season, averaging 51.63 in the Rothesay County Championship. He will be a key player for the Outlaws.

Young gun: Almost two years on from his sensational 10-wicket debut in the Championship, teenage off-spin sensation Farhan Ahmed has found first-team opportunities limited of late. This competition offers a chance to remind the senior side what they have been missing.

Final thought: Although their senior bowling resources take a hit because of The Hundred, Notts have solid back-up in the likes of Brett Hutton, Rob Lord, James Hayes, Lyndon James and Joe Pocklington. They should at least progress to the knock-out stages. Jon Culley

Somerset

Captain: Lewis Goldsworthy
2025 Position: Semi-Finals
2025 Most Runs: James Rew (438)
2025 Most Wickets: Ben Green (16)

Why they can win the competition: Despite losing their usual high quota of players to The Hundred, Somerset will be able to call on a relatively experienced bowling attack including Jake Ball and Josh Shaw, supported by young left-armer Alfie Ogborne and spinner Jack Leach.

Player to watch: Archie Vaughan has shown promise for Somerset in the Rothesay County Championship without securing a regular place in the batting order. This competition offers an ideal chance for the talented all-rounder to build some confidence.

Young gun: Ben Church may be an unfamiliar name to Somerset supporters. But, with five wicketkeepers absent because of injury or call-ups to The Hundred, the 18-year-old Academy top-order batter and gloveman, from Bath, could be called upon for his senior debut.

Final thought: With their T20 big-hitters having been snapped up for The Hundred, Somerset will need to rely on steady accumulators like Archie Vaughan and Lewis Goldsworthy to be the backbone of what is sure to be youthful batting line-up. Richard Latham

Surrey

Captain: Rory Burns
2025 Position: 6th (Group A)
2025 Most Runs: Ollie Sykes (338)
2025 Most Wickets: Yousef Majid (9)

Why they can win the competition: In all honesty it will be difficult for Surrey to lift the trophy – with no fewer than 17 players contracted in The Hundred they simply do not have the resources left to mount a serious challenge. But Surrey still value the competition hugely as it offers opportunities for their upcoming cricketers to showcase their skills in the first team.

Player to watch: Adam Thomas has already made a hundred on his Rothesay County Championship debut this summer, a brilliant and mature innings against Sussex at the Kia Oval, and the 20-year-old will be a key man in the bid to post big totals.

Young gun: Ralphie Albert, a genuine all-rounder who bats in the middle order and bowls left-arm spin, is highly rated beyond Surrey and was chosen by England Young Lions coach Mike Yardy to captain England U19s against South Africa U19s in the past month.

Final thought: Surrey will be looking for the likes of Thomas, Albert, Yousef Majid, their leading wicket-taker in the competition last year, and experienced seamer James Taylor, who is set to move to Yorkshire at the end of the season. Mark Baldwin

Sussex

Captain: Jack Carson
2025 Position: 5th (Group B)
2025 Most Runs: Tom Clark (339)
2025 Most Wickets: Henry Crocombe (11)

Why they can win the competition: If what will be a predominantly young squad follow the lead of new skipper Jack Carson and experienced players perform, like as Tom Haines and Tom Clark – who should return after a spell out with a knee injury – Sussex could get on a roll to the final.

Player to watch: Charlie Tear is an emerging keeper-batter who has international experience with Scotland and scored 159 in this competition against Northants last season. The 22-year-old played in the second half of the Vitality T20 Blast and shaped up well.

Young gun: Nantes Oosthuizen is a 20-year-old right-arm medium-fast bowler developed under former Sussex captain Chris Adams at Seaford College. Bowling coach James Kirtley describes him as “raw, but with huge potential who can bowl deliveries that can get anyone out”.

Final thought: With no overseas, several players at The Hundred and a new captain Sussex will consider getting to the knockout stages as progress having added three players from their Academy – right-armer Ollie Kirtley (son of James), all-rounder Freddie Price and left-armer Toby Munt – to their squad. Bruce Talbot

Warwickshire

Captain: Sam Hain
2025 Position: 4th (Group B)
2025 Most Runs: Ed Barnard (358)
2025 Most Wickets: Tazeem Ali (18)

Why they can win the competition: Warwickshire Second XI recently retained the T20 Cup fuelled by the talents of many players who will figure in their 50-over campaign. They are confident and in form.

Player to watch: Kai Smith – the dynamic young wicketkeeper-batter has been unlucky to be overlooked for much of the red-ball and T20 campaigns. A strong 50-over comp would make him very hard to overlook when the Championship resumes.

Young gun: Staffordshire product Theo Wylie, a left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder, is an impact player with bat and ball who appears ready to make an impact in first-team cricket.

Final thought: It has turned into a strange, polarised season for the Bears. A disastrous start to the Blast destroyed their qualification hopes very early but they are in the thick of the Rothesay County Championship title race and a strong 50-over campaign would set up an exciting end to the season at Edgbaston. Brian Halford

Worcestershire

Captain: Jake Libby
2025 Position: Winners
2025 Most Runs: Jake Libby (479)
2025 Most Wickets: Ben Allison (19)

Why they can win the competition: They know how to. They won it last season by playing some excellent cricket to reach the final and then showing the strength and skills to win a very tight final with the pressure on.

Player to watch: Fateh Singh. Left out for most of the Blast due to the Rapids signing overseas spinners Sikandar Raza and Usama Mir, Singh took three for 17 when given his belated chance after Raza departed on international duty. He will be mustard keen to send a message or two to the team-selectors.

Young gun: Daniel Lategan. Not yet UK-qualified, the 20-year-old opening batter was omitted from the Blast team as the overseas slots went to the spinners. Will be looking to pile up runs to go into the red-ball resumption with momentum high.

Final thought: Last season’s triumph at Trent Bridge was one of the most emotional in county cricket history, a success in tribute to Josh Baker who tragically passed away in 2024. Josh’s legacy lives on through the JB33 Foundation – retaining the trophy would again be very special. Brian Halford

Yorkshire

Captain: Dom Bess
2025 Position: Semi-finals
2025 Most Runs: Imam-ul-Haq (688)
2025 Most Wickets: Matt Milnes (15)

Why they can win the competition: They bossed Group B last year and lost only two games all competition, including the semi-final against Hampshire at Scarborough. They’ve been excellent in the Vitality T20 Blast as well this term, really building up that limited overs rhythm.

Player to watch: Will Luxton is a young batter who has shown a significant amount of promise across all formats and will be one of Yorkshire’s key batters in this competition. If he gets going, it will be fun to watch.

Young gun: Academy fast bowler Bradley Sylvester is somewhat of a wildcard. Has just been on England Under 19s duty against South Africa and probably won’t play every game. But the 19-year-old is expected to make his senior debut at some point.

Final thought: The ‘why they can win the competition’ section provides the glass half full view. The glass half empty view is that they have lost both last season’s leading run-scorer and leading wicket-taker, Imam-ul-Haq and Matt Milnes. Could be a problem. Graham Hardcastle

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