Following the relaunch of the men’s MCC Young Cricketers (YC) programme this summer, MCC is pleased to confirm that Daaryoush Ahmed has signed a professional contract with Gloucestershire for their upcoming Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaign.

As part of the relaunch, MCC committed to providing one contract for a player to join a first-class county for the 50-over competition, and 24-year-old Ahmed, an all-rounder who impressed in the YC matches under the watchful eye of Head Coach Graeme Swann, is the recipient.

The return of the men’s YC scheme, after a five-year hiatus, has in fact yielded two players from the ranks who have linked up with counties, as Nikhil Gorantla, a batter who has been part of South Asian Cricket Academy (SACA), has also signed a multi-year contract with Surrey.

Bristol-born Ahmed, a player recommended to the YC programme by both Gloucestershire and SACA, impressed greatly across the trial period with both bat and ball, as well as showing strong leadership skills. He struck 104 from 78 balls against Yorkshire 2^nd XI at Bradford Park Avenue, in a match which Gorantla also hit a century.

Ahmed follows in the footsteps of several YC graduates, including Alex Gidman and Hamish Marshall, to have signed for Gloucestershire and as part of the arrangement, he will also be awarded a sponsorship package with Gray-Nicolls.

To cap the opportunity for Ahmed, he has been invited to tour with MCC to Zimbabwe in October, along with another player from the men’s YC programme, left-arm seamer Joseph Davies.
The 2025 programme was a month-long window, which saw Swann, joined by ECB scouts, cast their eye over the 22 hopefuls. The squad was then whittled down to 14, with Ahmed and Gorantla proving to be two of the outstanding players.

This scheme was a pilot for men’s players, with the potential of it returning on a more permanent basis in future years, including women’s players and supporting the female playing programme once the new regional structure has been embedded.

Rob Lynch, Director of Cricket and Operations at MCC, said: “The return of the MCC Young Cricketers programme was a huge success. Not only have we seen both Daaryoush Ahmed and Nikhil Gorantla be picked up by counties, but there has a been significant interest in many of the players who took part.

“It is clear that having this pathway in place provides another vital opportunity for young players to fulfil their potential, and I am looking forward to seeing how it can support both male and female players in the years to come.”

Daaryoush Ahmed said: “I’m thrilled to have signed my first professional contract with Gloucestershire - a Club that has been instrumental in shaping my cricketing journey this far.

“This moment is a proud milestone for me, and I’m really grateful that the hard work and sacrifices over the past few years have led to this opportunity.

“A huge thank you to SACA, and more recently, the MCC Young Cricketers programme for their invaluable support and guidance. Both have provided me with an incredible platform to grow and succeed.”

Mark Thorburn, Gloucestershire’s Head Coach for the Metro Bank One-Day Cup, said: “We’re delighted to be having Daaryoush join Gloucestershire for our Metro Bank campaign. It is great to have seen his development this season with strong performances for the MCC Young Cricketers and in our 2^nd XI”.