Alex Lees

Growing up in West Yorkshire, Lees came through the Yorkshire academy system and made his senior first-class debut for the county in 2010 as a patient, traditional left-handed opening batter. His breakout moment arrived in June 2013 when he scored an unbeaten 275 against Northamptonshire at Headingley, becoming the youngest Yorkshire player since Geoffrey Boycott to register a double century. This early consistency helped anchor the top order as Yorkshire secured back-to-back County Championship titles in 2014 and 2015, earning him recognition as the Cricket Writers' Club Young Cricketer of the Year in 2014.

After a dip in form at Headingley, Lees sought a fresh start and moved to Durham in 2018, initially on loan before signing a permanent contract. The transition revitalized his game as he gradually reshaped his defensive instincts into a more proactive, aggressive scoring approach. He became Durham's primary top-order run-scorer across formats, piling up thousands of runs in the County Championship, One-Day Cup, and T20 Blast, while also featuring in short-format franchise leagues.

His heavy county scoring earned him a senior international call-up in early 2022, leading to his Test debut for England against the West Indies in March 2022. Opening during the formative phase of the aggressive "Bazball" era under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes, Lees adapted his game to suit the team's high-tempo philosophy. Over 10 Test appearances, he scored 453 runs, highlighted by a top score of 67 against New Zealand and a crucial, rapid 56 that set the tone for England's record-breaking run chase of 378 against India at Edgbaston in July 2022.

Returning fully to county cricket following his international stint, Lees took on formal leadership duties at Durham. He was named white-ball captain in 2023 before being appointed overall club captain across all formats ahead of the 2025 season, extending his commitment to the club through at least 2027. Through the 2025 and 2026 domestic seasons, he continued to lead Durham from the front, passing 12,000 career first-class runs and accumulating over 30 first-class centuries while directing the team's multi-format campaigns.