B3 Professionals: 2026 Season Highlights

Ben Aitchison, Derbyshire

Ben enjoyed a strong season across all three formats, contributing with both bat and ball for Derbyshire.

• County Championship: Centuries of 112 at Lord’s and 106 against Northants, plus 9–102 against Kent and his first 50-wicket Championship season.
• T20 Blast: 11 wickets, including 3–46, and a quickfire 25 off 16 balls against Notts*.
• Metro Bank One-Day Cup: 10 wickets in six matches, with best figures of 3–31.

Jack Blatherwick, Lancashire

Despite a season blighted by a few injury niggles, Jack delivered several standout performances:

• Metro Bank One-Day Cup: Career-best 4–30 against Notts and 32 from 10 balls against Somerset*.
• T20 Blast: 2–33 against Derbyshire and 2–34 against Notts, plus quickfire knocks of 19 off 11 against Surrey*, 17 off 10 against Derbyshire and 15 off six against Yorkshire.
• Second XI bowling: 6–46 and 61 runs against Warwickshire, helping secure an innings victory inside two days.
• Second XI batting: 71 off 66 against Sussex, including seven sixes, and a 30-ball fifty against Yorkshire.

Graham Clark, Durham

Graham’s standout moments for Durham included record-breaking T20 batting and useful contributions across all three formats.

• County Championship: A brisk half-century against Derbyshire in Durham’s commanding 338-run victory.
• T20 Blast: Hit Durham’s fastest-ever T20 fifty, off 18 balls, against Leicestershire and became the club’s leading T20 run-scorer.
• Metro Bank One-Day Cup: Struck 68 off 58 balls against Hampshire, including four sixes, helping Durham to a nine-wicket win.

Sam Conners, Durham

Sam’s season was heavily disrupted by a back injury, limiting his opportunities across the formats. Wishing Sam Conners well and a speedy recovery over the winter, ready to return fit and strong for the 2027 season.

Paul Coughlin, Lancashire

Paul produced some memorable batting performances in his first Lancashire season, although a shoulder injury disrupted his campaign.

• County Championship: His first Lancashire century against Durham, plus 61 off 44 balls against Worcestershire, reaching fifty in a Southport record 36 balls.
• T20 Blast: Hit 37 off 24 balls against Surrey, including three sixes.

Bethan Ellis, Glamorgan, Warwickshire

Bethan delivered standout performances with bat and ball while playing for Glamorgan on dual registration from Warwickshire.

• Metro Bank One-Day Cup: Scored 75 and took 3–30 against Derbyshire, helping Glamorgan to a 106-run victory.
• T20 Blast: Hit a match-winning 71 off 55 balls against Sussex*, guiding Glamorgan to an eight-wicket win.

Tom Hartley, Lancashire

Tom’s standout performances included impressive bowling in the Blast and major contributions with bat and ball for the Second XI.

• T20 Blast: Took 4–20 against Nottinghamshire, his second-best Blast figures, helping Lancashire secure their first win of the campaign.
• Second XI bowling: Claimed 8–50 against Yorkshire, alongside 70 off 52 balls, to lead Lancashire to a 284-run victory.
• Second XI batting: Scored 161 against Yorkshire at Southport, sharing a 180-run partnership with Charlie Barnard.

Lucy Higham, The Blaze

Lucy delivered important bowling performances during The Blaze’s treble-winning season.

• T20 Blast: Claimed 2–16 against Warwickshire, helping secure a four-wicket victory.
• Metro Bank One-Day Cup: Took four wickets against Somerset in a commanding September win.
• Cup final: Starred with 4–49 against Hampshire, helping The Blaze win the One-Day Cup and complete their historic treble.

Brett Hutton, Nottinghamshire

B3’s longest-serving professional, Brett contributed with disciplined seam bowling and valuable lower-order runs.

County Championship: Took four first-innings wickets against Sussex and led a batting recovery with an unbeaten 59 on the opening day.

• Championship batting: Smashed 26 off 14 balls against Leicestershire, helping Notts secure maximum batting bonus points.
• Metro Bank One-Day Cup: The club’s published figures list nine wickets in seven matches, with an excellent 3.52 economy rate.

Craig Miles, Gloucestershire

Craig’s return to Gloucestershire featured some strong bowling performances.

• County Championship: Took 3–22 against Northamptonshire, helping dismiss them for 127.
• T20 Blast: Claimed 3–13 against former club Warwickshire, helping secure a 47-run victory.
• T20 Blast: Delivered an economical 1–19 from three overs against Somerset.

Callum Parkinson, Durham 

Callum combined match-winning spin bowling with valuable lower-order batting, earning Durham’s Paul Collingwood Medal.

• County Championship: Standout spells of 6–20 against Northamptonshire and 5–13 against Worcestershire.
• Batting: Scored his maiden Durham first-class fifty, 54 against Kent*.
• T20 Blast: Took 17 wickets in 12 matches, averaging 18.24, with best figures of 3–19.

Luis Reece, Derbyshire

Luis marked 2026 with a century against Worcestershire, passing 6,000 first-class runs and taking his 200th first-class wicket for Derbyshire, alongside winning the club’s Spirit of Cricket award. One of B3’s longest-serving professionals, along with Nottinghamshire’s Brett Hutton, he now looks ahead to his testimonial year in 2027.

• County Championship: Opened the season with 114 against Worcestershire, sharing a 273-run partnership with Martin Andersson.
• Career milestones: Passed 6,000 first-class runs and claimed his 200th first-class wicket for Derbyshire in September.
• Metro Bank Cup: Took two wickets in Derbyshire’s eight-run victory over Hampshire.
• Recognition: Received the club’s Spirit of Cricket award.

Will Rhodes, Durham

Will delivered valuable contributions with bat and ball, earning the PCA Metro Bank One Day Cup Player of the Year award.

• County Championship: Scored 52 against Derbyshire, sharing a 157-run partnership with Ben McKinney in a commanding victory.
• Metro Bank Cup batting: Scored 415 runs, highlighted by 148 against Glamorgan* and 80 in the semi-final against Middlesex.
• Metro Bank Cup bowling: Claimed 13 wickets, including 5–51 against Sussex.

Lara Shaw, Derbyshire

Lara’s season was disrupted by a fractured foot, but she returned with a standout batting performance.

• Metro Bank Cup: Scored 145 from 123 balls against Sussex, including 19 fours, helping Derbyshire chase 319 for a seven-wicket victory.
• Match-winning partnership: Shared a 256-run third-wicket stand with Lauren Kenvyn in the same victory.
• Return from injury: Rejoined Derbyshire’s matchday squad in July after missing the early season.

Phoebe Turner, Durham

Phoebe’s standout moment was a maiden List A century during a season disrupted by injury.

• Metro Bank Cup: Hit 100 from 82 balls against Yorkshire*, rescuing Durham from 53–4 in a dramatic tied match.
• The Hundred: Selected by London Spirit at the 2026 auction.
• Looking ahead: Extended her Durham contract through 2027, although injury kept her out of August’s return to 50-over action.

Luke Wells, Lancashire

A bad shoulder injury disrupted Luke’s season. We wish him a speedy recovery over the winter. Winter well, Luke, and here’s to a great 2027 season!

• County Championship: Scored 87 against Northamptonshire, sharing a 132-run partnership with Josh Bohannon.
• Injury setback: Suffered a dislocated shoulder while fielding against Gloucestershire in April, leading to a lengthy absence.
• Looking ahead: Signed a new contract through 2028, with hopes of returning strongly in 2027.

Theo Wylie, Warwickshire

Theo showed his potential with bat and ball despite limited first-team opportunities. Theo leaves Warwickshire at the end of the season. Wishing Theo every success in his new chapter at university and in the next steps of his cricketing journey.

Metro Bank Cup: Scored his maiden List A fifty, 65 against Northamptonshire, sharing a 104-run partnership with Sam Hain.

• Second XI T20: Took 2–32 and hit 20 from ten balls against Northants, then claimed 2–25 against Somerset to help secure Finals Day qualification.
• Shropshire: Struck his maiden county century, 106 against Cheshire in the National Counties One Day Trophy.