Royal London One-Day Cup: Young guns

Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire)
The 22-year-old former England Lions paceman is the competition’s leading wicket-taker with 28 at an average of 18.5. The sort of bowler that made things happen in early overs and at the death, Mahmood became the first Lancashire bowler to claim a five-wicket haul in successive List A matches (against Leicestershire and Northants).

Matt Critchley (Derbyshire)
Derbyshire’s Matt Critchley, 22, has been a force in one-day cricket for a couple of seasons and impressed Andrew Strauss when he made an explosive half-century in the North v South game in the West Indies the winter before last. In this season’s One-Day Cup, he showed why many believe he possesses the ‘X-factor’ with an unbeaten 64 from 51 balls in the match against Northants at Derby. He averaged above 69 in the tournament and also took five wickets with his leg spin.

Sam Hain (Warwickshire)
In Warwickshire's North Group campaign, 23-year-old England Lions batsman Sam Hain scored 385 runs, including a career-best 161 not out against Worcestershire at New Road, at an average of 77.00. His career List A stats are now 2,810 runs, including ten centuries and 15 half-centuries, from 56 innings at a remarkable average of 59.78.

Tom Banton (Somerset)
Former England Under-19s captain Tom Barton scored two tons and 385 runs at an average of 38.5. Despite his well-built structure, 20-year-old Banton possesses the audacity and artistry modern-day white-batsman require, the opener utilising his sweep and scoop shots to perfection when putting on 112 in Somerset’s quarter-final win over Worcestershire.

Tom Alsop (Hampshire)
Tom Alsop has two centuries and most wicket-keeper wickets of this summer's One-Day Cup campaign. He will be called upon to play an important role at the top of the order for Hampshire in the final.

James Bracey (Gloucestershire)
Bracey scored 333 runs at 55 and at a strike-rate above 100. Started the tournament with back-to-back half-centuries, then went a bit quiet before he finished the tournament in style with a career-best unbeaten 113 against Essex.

Zak Crawley (Kent)
The tall opener has turned heads with his start to the season. Kent didn’t have a great tournament but Crawley, 21, was a shining light with almost 440 runs and two 50s and a top score of 120 against Middlesex.

Max Holden (Middlesex)
The 21-year-old left-handed opener caught the eye at Canterbury, with a record-breaking 166 against Kent – which was the highest List A score by a Middlesex batsman. The previous two highest scores were by former England ODI captains in Andrew Strauss and Eoin Morgan, while Holden bears resemblance in his movements at the cease to another in Alastair Cook.