The 2026 edition of The Hundred arrives with fresh narratives and a changing guard. As MI London and Sunrisers Leeds kick off the tournament at Kennington Oval on 21 July, England’s domestic scene is already supplying a new crop of frontline talent ready to stake international claims.
With recent senior retirements and workload management shaping selection thinking, the spotlight falls on a handful of uncapped English players whose Hundred performances could accelerate their passage to the national side. Here are five names to follow closely this summer: young, dynamic and hungry to turn domestic form into international opportunity.
Davina Perrin (Birmingham Phoenix)
At 19, Davina Perrin has emerged as one of the brightest top-order prospects in the domestic circuit. A powerful hitter who has shown maturity beyond her years, Perrin produced a notable half-century for Warwickshire in the ongoing Vitality T20 Blast at a strike rate of 128.20. Her previous returns in the Hundred are eye-catching: 293 runs at a strike rate of 129.07 and an average of 22.53 across 14 innings, featuring both a fifty and a century while representing the former Northern Superchargers and the current Sunrisers Leeds, already making her the talk of the town.
Now set to turn out for Birmingham Phoenix, Perrin’s blend of timing and intent makes her a potential match-winner in the middle overs. With England’s batting ranks rebalancing after the retirements of Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont, a high-impact Hundred could cement Perrin’s fast-track candidacy for the senior side.
Jemima Spence (Birmingham Phoenix)
Wicket-keeper batter Jemima Spence, 20, has been steadily building a case for higher honours through consistent scoring and reliable glovework. Representing Surrey in the T20 Blast, Spence finished as her side’s second-highest run-scorer with 300 runs at a strike rate of 139.53 and an average of 30 across 13 innings, compiling three half-centuries along the way. Her aggressive timing and adaptability in the middle order have made her an attractive option as a backup keeper-batter. Joining Birmingham Phoenix this Hundred, Spence could force selectors to consider her as Amy Jones, understudy, particularly if she combines runs with tidy wicket-keeping under the unique pressures of The Hundred.
Grace Scrivens (Manchester Super Giants)
Grace Scrivens, 22, arrives at the competition off a dominant domestic season and genuine leadership experience. The Essex skipper topped the Vitality T20 Blast charts with 428 runs at a strike rate of 132.50 and an average of 47.55 in 10 innings, compiling four fifties and guiding Essex to a competitive finish. Scrivens also captained England to the runners-up spot at the inaugural ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup in South Africa in 2023, showcasing temperament alongside run production.
In previous Hundred campaigns for London Spirit and Trent Rockets, she has accumulated 310 runs at a strike rate of 99.35 and an average of 18.23 in 21 innings. Now with Manchester Super Giants, Scrivens’ power at the top and part-time off-spin provide a multifaceted profile that could press selectors searching for dynamic top-order options and a leader to groom for the future.
Sophia Smale (Welsh Fire)
Left-arm spin and right-handed hitting make Sophia Smale, 21, a highly useful dual threat. For Essex in this season’s Vitality Blast, she contributed 94 runs at a strike rate of 125.33 and an average of 13.42, while also returning nine wickets at 30.11 and an economy of 6.77 in 10 matches. Her prior Hundred record, mostly with MI London (formerly Oval Invincibles), is compelling: 27 wickets at an average of 23.11 and an economy of 7.51 across 31 innings, plus some useful lower-order runs.
Now representing Welsh Fire, Smale’s left-arm variety and control in the middle overs offer a strategic angle for both franchise success and England’s selectors looking for a left-arm spinner who can also chip in with crucial runs with the bat.
Abi Norgrove (Welsh Fire)
Abi Norgrove, 20, gives Welsh Fire another promising batting option. Turning out for Hampshire in the Vitality Blast, she scored 167 runs at a strike rate of 95.97 and an average of 27.83 in nine innings, including an unbeaten half-century across 12 matches. Norgrove’s composed middle-order approach and ability to rotate strike make her well-suited to The Hundred’s tempo, where building partnerships and finishing strongly are both prized. A consistent Hundred showing could position her as a dependable domestic mainstay and place her on the periphery of England’s wider batting picture.
These five uncapped players embody the next wave of England talent: young, statistically robust, and equipped with distinct skill sets that suit The Hundred’s fast, tactical environment. As franchises jostle for early momentum from the opener at Kennington Oval, strong individual campaigns here won’t just tilt matches; they could reshape selection conversations for England in the months ahead.
Which of them will turn potential into an England cap? The answers should start to emerge as ball one of the 6th edition is struck on 21 July.
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