The Hundred wildcard draft: Who stood out in the T20 Blast?

The Hundred wildcard draft takes place on July 7, with each team selecting one England qualified player to bolster their squad. The Cricketer looks at some of the contenders

On July 7, the eight men's Hundred teams will each select one England qualified player, placed in the £30,000 category, to bolster their squad.

Last season, Ben Raine, Sam Cook, Jake Lintott, Fred Klaassen, Leus du Plooy, Dillon Pennington, Blake Cullen and Jordan Cox were the beneficiaries of the wildcard draft.

The Cricketer looks at some of the contenders for 2022...

Richard Gleeson (Lancashire)

14 matches, 23 wickets at 16.34, 7.83 economy, best figures 5-33

Richard Gleeson has an unfortunate relationship with The Hundred, with two contracts (Northern Superchargers and Manchester Originals) for the inaugural tournament going up in smoke due to injury. However, after being side-lined for the best part of two years, Gleeson is back and bowling like he’s never been away. The Lancashire quick remains a potent wicket-taker – only Naveen-ul-Haq can better his haul of 23 wickets in 2022, is pretty economical, can operate in the powerplay and at the death, and can intimidate batters with his combination of pace and bounce. On current form, he would be an asset to most bowling attacks.

^{Richard Gleeson [Stu Forster/Getty Images]}

Stephen Eskinazi (Middlesex)

14 matches, 431 runs at 33.15, 151.76 strike rate, HS 87

It was something of a surprise when Stephen Eskinazi didn’t get a wildcard contract in 2021 after scoring 399 runs at 44.33. However, he’s backed up that form with a further 431 runs this season and now has over 1,200 runs (one century, nine half-centuries) from his past 35 T20 Blast outings. He also boasts a strike rate of 151.76 and has scored a not too shabby 58 boundaries (44 fours, 14 sixes) in 2022. Don’t sign Eskinazi if you want a flashy player who rains sixes; do sign him if you want a reliable top-order presence with both anchoring qualities and brisk scoring in his locker.    

Ben Mike (Leicestershire)

14 matches, 213 runs at 21.30, 158.95 SR, HS 34, 15 wickets at 24.53, 8.97 economy, best figures 3-16

Selecting Ben Mike would be a risk but one that’s probably worth taking. Prior to this season, the Leicestershire bowling allrounder had 270 runs and 15 wickets from 28 T20 appearances. He’s pretty much matched those figures in 2022 alone. Often deployed in the middle overs and at the death, his right-arm pace bowling can be unreliable and expensive, but he does have a knack for picking up crucial wickets. With the bat, he has a strike rate of 158.95 this season and could be a fun player to deploy as a pinch-hitter should the situation arise. Speaking to The Cricketer, Alfonso Thomas said: "He’s got the allround package." High praise indeed.

^{Mattie McKiernan [Tony Marshall/Getty Images]}

Brett D’Oliveira (Worcestershire)

14 matches, 315 runs at 24.23, 145.16 strike rate, HS 71, 12 wickets at 17.91, 7.41 economy, best figures 4-20

Captaincy experience, a top-order batter and additional bowling option with the potential to change a game, and like Mike, enjoying something of a purple patch in 2022. Case in point, his allround masterclass against Lancashire earlier in July. Brett D’Oliveira contributed a solid 33 (25 balls) at the top of the order to kickstart the innings before introducing himself into the attack in the middle overs and collecting 4 for 20, triggering the batting side’s collapse. Of course, it doesn’t always happen like this, but as one of only two players with both 300 runs and 10 wickets – the other being Josh Cobb (Northamptonshire/Welsh Fire) – he's a handy man to have in your disposal and very versatile.

George Scrimshaw (Derbyshire)

14 matches, 21 wickets at 23.85, 9.45 economy, best figures 3-20

Derbyshire have progressed from the T20 group stages for just the fourth time since 2003 and 24-year-old George Scrimshaw has been key to their success. He had just three T20 wickets to his name heading into last season but now has 38 in 28 appearances. And in the absence of last season’s leading wicket-takers Fynn Hudson-Prentice and Logan van Beek, he’s stepped up to lead the seam attack with 21 wickets at 23.85 – the fourth-most in the competition. Like Mike, you have to take the rough with the smooth – his 9.45 economy is a touch wild – but he’s been a prolific wicket-taker his season and could be a point of difference in the attack thanks to his beanpole frame.

^{Brett D'Oliveira [David Rogers/Getty Images]}

James Fuller (Hampshire)

14 matches, 265 runs at 33.12, 153.17 strike rate, HS 45, 16 wickets at 23.43, 8.15 economy, best figures 4-30

Among players not yet selected for The Hundred, James Fuller sits top of the Blast MVP rankings. Like D’Oliveira, the allrounder’s numbers speak for themselves - 265 runs at a strike rate of 153.17, 16 wickets and an economy of 8.15 – and unlike several of the players on this list, this season is not an anomaly. The 32-year-old has scored 200-plus runs three times in his past five Blast seasons and took 42 Blast wickets between 2015 and 2018 when last used as a regular bowler. A sensible allround option and experienced to boot.

Michael Pepper (Essex)

13 matches, 403 runs at 36.63, 167.21 strike rate, HS 86*

Young Michael Pepper is enjoying a breakout season for Essex, scoring 403 runs to more than double his career tally in the Blast. Playing in the mould of Eskinazi, only 19 of his 64 boundaries have been sixes but of players to score more than 400 runs, only Rilee Rossouw, Adam Lyth and Wayne Madsen have a higher strike rate than the 24-year-old’s 167.21. He's inexperienced and inconsistent but in form. He can also keep wicket which might come in handy. His Essex teammate Paul Walter could also be worth a punt. The middle-order batter has 370 runs at a strike rate of 155.46 and is one of only 11 players to score 20-plus sixes.

^{James Fuller [Mike Hewitt/Getty Images]}

Tom Alsop (Sussex)

10 matches, 318 runs at 35.33, 152.88 strike rate, HS 82

Both London Spirit and Northern Superchargers only have one wicketkeeping option at present, so there’s likely to be at least one gloveman among the wildcards. Enter Tom Alsop: a specialist keeper with 318 runs at a strike rate of 152.88. You could kill two birds with one stone with Alsop, adding depth behind the stumps and in the middle order. However, there are two caveats. Firstly, he hasn’t kept wicket for Sussex this season, finding himself behind Mohammad Rizwan and Josh Philippe in the pecking order. Secondly, his career strike rate of 121.68 is considerably less inspiring.

Mattie McKiernan (Derbyshire)

14 matches, 17 wickets at 20.52, 7.93 economy, best figures 3-19

The best spinner in the Blast MVP rankings without a Hundred contract. Like Scrimshaw, McKiernan’s emergence has been crucial to Derbyshire’s success this year, with the 28-year-old taking 17 wickets and starring as his side’s most economical bowler. However, perhaps the best demonstration of his talents came against India earlier this month, when he scored 20 off nine balls and later picked up 1 for 20 from three overs against a line-up stacked with IPL stars. A good option to top up your spinners.

^{Michael Pepper [Alex Davidson/Getty Images]}

Michael Hogan (Glamorgan)

11 matches, 20 wickets at 16.65, 8.12 economy, best figures 5-18

Michael Hogan hadn’t played a T20 match since August 2019 prior to this season but it’s like he’s never been away. The 41-year-old has picked up 20 wickets in just 41 overs – his seventh 10-plus wicket season and third 20-plus haul – and boasts an impressive strike of 12.3, bettered by only Andrew Tye and Brad Wheal among the top-10 wicket-takers. Add in a career economy of 7.86 and the small matter of 108 T20 matches to his name and there is nothing wild about selecting Hogan.