Jacob Bethell and Tilly Corteen-Coleman are among the young or unknown players who could play leading roles

In preparation for the 2024 edition of The Hundred, which airs live on Sky Sports from July 23 to August 18, we asked analyst Charles Dagnall to pick out some of the players to keep an eye on this year.

Daggers has looked beyond the star names and has selected young or unknown cricketers who can make an impact in the coming month. Read on to see who he has chosen.

The tournament begins on Tuesday with a doubleheader between the Oval Invincibles and Birmingham Phoenix at The Kia Oval. The women’s match kicks off at 2.45pm and the men’s match kicks off at 6.30pm.

Men’s competition

Jacob Bethell (Birmingham Phoenix, 20)

Bethell has scored four fifties in the Vitality Blast for Birmingham Bears this season at a strike-rate of almost 160. He has also performed superbly in the County Championship and is also a more than useful left-arm spinner.

I sat up and paid attention when he hit a quickfire half-century for England U19 against South Africa at the 2022 World Cup. This was his breakthrough year though and I think he can play all three formats. He will be a sought-after cricketer for some time to come.

I believe he will be an integral part of the Phoenix team. Where you put him when you have Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali etc., I don’t know.

Josh Hull (Manchester Originals, 19)

I like this lad, I really do. He is 6ft 7in and although he is now bowling in the mid-80s I think he can get quicker. He has the ability to swing the ball to the right-hander and has taken regular wickets in white-ball cricket.

What stands out to me though was when he bowled the last over for Leicestershire in the One-Day Cup final win over Hampshire last year. Hampshire needed eight to win and he conceded just five runs and took a wicket.

If a young player stays calm and wins the match for his country, it shows that he can stay calm under pressure and that he also has the right skills.

Tawanda Muyeye (Oval Invincible, 23)

When you look at this guy’s record, it doesn’t jump off the page, but I think he’s got real talent. All those shots and amazingly fast hands and wrists – he can manipulate the ball into weird and wonderful places.

There is power, placement and craft. From close to off stump he can hit you through backward point or down to deep third with great hand-eye coordination. He can also go down the ground and leg-side, while being quick between the sticks.

With Jason Roy out of the Oval Invincibles this year, Muyeye might have a shot at finishing in the top three.

Ben Green (Welsh fire, 26)

This guy does all the dirty work, the tough jobs, the awful jobs. He bowls in the middle overs and at the death, while also getting the teams he plays for out of holes by batting at No 7 or No 8.

He took 31 wickets for champions Somerset in the 2023 Blast and has 21 so far this year. He has a knack for breaking partnerships and is a better cricketer than people give him credit for.

He bowls medium pace but is long and has a bit of extra bounce. He can bowl off-pace deliveries, yorkers, cutters – he has all those skills and the ability to hit the ball long as well.

Plus, he’s got the best mullet and moustache combo in the country, so that alone makes him worth keeping an eye on.

David Payne (Welsh Fire, 33)

I think this lad is unlucky not to have played 50 one-day internationals for England so far. He has only played once for his country, a few years ago against Holland.

He is the second highest wicket-taker in the Blast this season with 25 for Gloucestershire. He takes a lot of wickets in the powerplay, and swings the ball with a decent pace, in the high 80s. Yet he can also bowl cutters and is epic at the death.

In 177 T20s he has 225 wickets and an economy rate of just over eight, which considering the time he has been bowling, is simply excellent.

Women’s competition

Seren Smale (Birmingham Phoenix, 19)

I watched this young wicketkeeper-batter in the England U19 team in South Africa last year and she has really come on since then, she has played a bit for England A. I think she has the game to go far.

She’s got a chip on her shoulder – and I mean that as a compliment – and a huge belief in herself. There’s power in her batting, plus all those innovative scoops and paddles. Add to that a fantastic work ethic.

I think she will fight for a place in England next year.

Ellie Anderson (London Spirit, 20)

Anderson is a hard-hitting opening bowler who can swing the ball away from the right-hander. She also has a great change of pace with slower backhanded balls.

Her skills have been refined with more exposure in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and Charlotte Edwards Cup with Western Storm. Spirit were in desperate need of strengthening their seam-bowling ranks and I think Anderson will enjoy bowling at Lord’s.

Kathryn Bryce (Manchester Originals, 26)

The Scotland captain has had an incredible 12 months, including being picked up by Gujarat Giants in the Women’s Premier League. She opened the bowling with her seam bowling, delivered in-swing and then batted in the middle order. Playing in front of huge crowds in the WPL will have done her the world of good.

She led Scotland to qualification for the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh later this year, while she recently helped The Blaze win the Charlotte Edwards Cup, scoring 62 in their victory over the South East Stars in the final. Bryce had a sensational tournament, amassing almost 500 runs and scoring five fifties.

The Originals need runs in The Hundred and expect a lot from her. I think she will deliver.

Davina Perrin (Northern Superchargers, 17)

She was “Miss Irrelevant” – to use NFL lingo – as the last player taken in the draft, which surprised me because this kid is something special. She’s got shots all over the field, is brilliant downfield and doesn’t throw nearly enough of her lively mid-range pace.

After scoring steadily in the Charlotte Edwards Cup and Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, I hope she gets a shot at the top of the Superchargers because when she goes after the ball, watch out! She only needs one inning to get the confidence flowing.

Tilly Corteen-Coleman (Southern Brave, 16)

Southern Braves coach Charlotte Edwards knows what she’s talking about. We were all a bit ‘who?’ when she selected Corteen-Coleman in the draft, but the left-arm spinner has since taken wickets for South East Stars in the Charlotte Edwards Cup – 16 of them at an average of 13.31. Her economy rate was also just 5.15.

Her fingers go over the top of the ball and she is a real spinner. She has great control and no lack of confidence.

Being on the Southern Brave team is almost like being on an international lineup, that’s how strong the players are. Even if she doesn’t play a whole lot, she’ll benefit immensely from being in that environment. But I think she’ll play. She’s easy enough to.

Katie George (Trent Rockets, 25)

George got some appearances for England early in her career because of her left-arm seam bowling, but then she was out for a few years with terrible back problems, it was a terrible time for her. But she has come back a better, stronger, smarter bowler with great variations to suit her pace, with cutters and slower balls.

She has also come to the fore with the bat and is brilliant in the field, especially in depth. It is a great story of someone who has been unlucky but has worked so hard to come back. I think she should be considered for a return to England colours soon enough.

Ad Content | Stream Sky Sports on NOW

Stream The Hundred – which runs from July 23 to August 18 – live on Sky Sports with no contract on a NOW Month or Day membership. You also get instant access to live international cricket plus football, darts, F1, tennis, golf, rugby league, rugby union and more.