James Rew

James Rew is a Somerset wicketkeeper-batter who has progressed through the county’s pathway since joining at Under-10 level. He made his first-class debut for a County Select XI against Indians in July 2021 before making his Somerset List A debut the following month.

Rew was part of England’s squad for the 2022 Under-19 World Cup, where the Young Lions reached the final and he top-scored with a fighting 95 in the final against India. He made his Somerset first-class debut in July 2022, marking the occasion with a half-century before following it with his maiden century against Essex.

Rew quickly established himself as one of the most promising young batters in the English county game. He topped Somerset’s run-scoring in the 2022 Royal London Cup with 307 runs, including his maiden List A hundred, earning himself Somerset's internal Young Player of the Year award.

He broke through in spectacular fashion in 2023 at 19, as he became Somerset’s youngest first-class double centurion and finished the County Championship season with 1,086 runs, five centuries, and the PCA Men’s Young Player of the Year award. He backed that up with 726 first-class runs in 2024 and was subsequently selected for the England Lions tour of Australia.

His rapid progress into the England setup continued in early 2025. After beginning the County Championship season with 152, he reached his 10th first-class century, becoming the youngest English batter to achieve the feat since Sir Denis Compton in 1939. This form earned him his first senior call-up for the Test against Zimbabwe in May 2025, where he made his international debut. Later that month, he was also named captain of the England Lions for their series against India A.

Rew has since become a regular part of the England Lions pathway, frequently featuring alongside his younger brother, Thomas Rew, who also emerged through the Somerset system. He was named captain of Somerset’s Metro Bank One Day Cup side, while his development across formats earned him his first taste of franchise cricket with Sharjah Warriors in the ILT20.

His multi-format evolution was further showcased during the 2026 Vitality Blast, where he accumulated 430 runs in 12 games for Somerset, headlined by a sensational unbeaten 116 against Gloucestershire. He also made his debut in The Hundred after being picked up by London Spirit. His long-term future at Somerset was secured with a contract extension through the 2029 season, and he ended the 2026 County season with 803 runs in 13 games.