These 2 players have become some of my absolute favourites in recent years, watching them destroy batters each season of The Hundred and now in international games for England. Below is some highlights of their performances through their careers.

Tilly Corteen-Coleman

Also known as Tills, or what I call her, Tilly Corqueen-Corewoman, the absolute madness started on 31 May 2024 in the Charlotte Edwards Cup. Playing for the South East Stars at 16 years old, against the Northern Diamonds, she tore through their lineup by taking four wickets in four successive balls, finishing with unbelievable figures of five for 19, including a double hat-trick ball.

That performance set the stage for her debut in The Hundred in July 2024, where she was hand picked by Charlotte Edwards, and became the youngest-ever player in the tournament's history. Playing for for the Brave, she claimed her first wicket, caught and bowled on her fourth ball, but not just any random wicket, the legend that is Aussie Captain Meg Lanning.

By August 2025, she was leading the Brave to a dominant win over the Trent Rockets with a stunning spell of four wickets for just 13 runs off her 20 balls, including perhaps the greatest All-Rounder in the world, Nat Sciver-Brunt.

Her breakout era reached new heights with a massive £105,000 contract deal in the draft to stay with the Southern Brave, continuing to dominate ahead of her senior England call-up, being given her cap by her idol, Sophie Ecclestone. The most expensive left arm orthodox spinner bought that day.

Her ODI debut against New Zealand followed on the 10th of May 2026, paving the way for her selection to the T20 World Cup squad, before making a big impact against Ireland by taking four wickets across three ODI matches. All of that brilliant work culminated in her lifting the PCA Women's Young Player of the Year trophy at 19 years old.

Sonny Baker

Before the Hundred, he began as a breakout teenage fast-bowling sensation for Somerset back in 2021, where he made a massive statement in List A cricket by later picking up a career-best six wickets for 46 runs against Derbyshire. That raw pace caught the attention of the selectors, leading straight into his Southern Brave era when he was signed up for the 2022 season as a substitute at 19.
He later moved north to join the Manchester Originals, eventually winning the tournament this year against Rockets.

His best Hundred moment came on 17 August 2025 against the Northern Superchargers at Emirates Old Trafford. On the exact same day he earned his first senior England white-ball call-up, he celebrated by steaming in to secure a sensational death-overs hat-trick—kickstarted by bowling Dawid Malan with a brilliant slower ball, before removing Tom Lawes and Jacob Duffy on the very next deliveries.

His rapid rise hit overdrive with a dream Test call-up and debut against New Zealand in June 2026. At 23 years old, he transitioned into the white-ball side under Brendon McCullum against Sri Lanka in September 2026, where he claimed his maiden ODI wicket at the Kia Oval and completely dominated the T20 international series, picking up a blistering three wickets for just 12 runs in the opening game at Southampton. It has been an upwards trajectory for this widely loved youngster that made him the choice for the PCA Men's Young Player of the Year award.

For both Tilly and Sonny, it is a pleasure to watch them ascend higher and higher through the ranks, earning much admiration from legends like Ecclestone and Stuart Broad. I am so thrilled that both have been granted these awards, as they deserve them so much. Well done the pair of them, Born Brave, playing strong, and being absolute inspirations for young people to get into the game. I look forward to all the future highlights that both will achieve.