Archie Vaughan, son of former England captain Michael, has signed his first professional contract with Somerset after entering the club's academy in 2020. He plays as a top-order batsman and off-spinner.
Vaughan, who is 18 and bats in a style that is strikingly similar to his father, has been a member of Somerset's academy since 2020 when he enrolled at Millfield School. He has performed admirably for the club's second XI, opening the batting and bowling off-spin.
The two-year contract starts in November and will cover the 2025 and 2026 seasons. Michael Vaughan, currently a Telegraph Sport columnist, played for Yorkshire throughout his career.
“It’s something that I’ve worked extremely hard for and it’s something that I’ve strived for since I was a kid, so to get the opportunity for a club where I’ve really enjoyed myself over the last few years is an honour,” Archie told the Somerset website. “I will be looking to gain as much experience as I can and learn as much as I can from the more experienced players in the dressing room.”
Archie Vaughan is one of several kids of recent England cricketers, including the 2005 Ashes-winning team, who are making their way into the professional game.
Rocky Flintoff, Andrew's 16-year-old son, has excelled with a series of big-hitting innings for Lancashire's second XI this season, while Corey, 18, is also engaged. Charlie, Steve Harmison's 16-year-old son, is a fast bowler for Northumberland. Joshua de Caires, Michael Atherton's son, has excelled as an off-spinning all-rounder at Middlesex and has already been called up by the England Lions.
Archie's cover drive and backfoot drive are supposed to resemble Michael's graceful strokes. However, Mark Garraway, who was England's assistant coach during Michael's leadership era and is now the director of cricket at Millfield School, told Telegraph Sport last month that Archie's captaincy style is more like "the solidity of Andrew Strauss" than his father's more imaginative approach.
“Archie is a young man with a bright future ahead of him,” Somerset director of cricket Andy Hurry said. “Since joining the academy he has demonstrated a genuine and strong desire to work incredibly hard and improve every facet of his game.”