James Minto

Career Minto was raised in Norton, County Durham, where he played for the local cricket club at junior level before joining their first team at the age of 13. He signed with Durham's academy in December 2023. In June 2024, he played for England Young Lions.

Minto made his List A debut on 28 July 2024, against Worcestershire in the One-Day Cup, taking two wickets in the match. Aged 16 years 296 days, on 17 September 2024 he became the youngest first-class player in Durham's history, when he took to the field at the Oval against Surrey in the County Championship. In that match, he became the second youngest player (after Craig Miles for Gloucestershire) to take a first-class wicket since World War II. Later that month he scored his maiden first-class half-century, making 67 after being sent in to open the batting as nightwatchman against Nottinghamshire at the Riverside Ground. Aged 17 years and 172 days he became the county's youngest ever half-centurion.