ECB: Cricketing superstars join The Hundred

Photo Credit: England and Wales Cricket Board

MORE of the best players in world cricket have been signed up to play in The Hundred, the new fast-paced family-friendly 100-ball cricket competition which launches this summer.

Thirty five men’s players have been revealed after being chosen out of more than 500 overseas and English players vying for a place in the competition. Alongside this, a further eight English and eight Australian star women’s players have also been announced:

• Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard, David Warner, Kagiso Rabada and Tom Abell are the top five men’s picks in The Hundred Draft to fill the remaining 35 spaces in the Men’s squads.
• Manchester Originals were the busiest team, signing 10 players. As well as Pooran and Rabada, they also drafted Harry Gurney, Jamie Overton and Shadab Khan amongst others.
• Other England stars signed up include Ravi Bopara going to London Spirit, Olly Stone joining Northern Superchargers, and Saqib Mahmood being picked up by Oval Invincibles.
• The eight teams have now filled all but one place in their Men’s squads – they each have one Vitality Wildcard pick each to fill the final slot in June.
• Men’s competition features three of world’s top five male international T20 batters and four of top five male bowlers.
• Players are being signed on an individual basis by the eight teams in the women’s competition, with no equivalent Draft event. Teams will continue to fill their squads over the coming months.
• World’s top female T20 bowler Sophie Ecclestone and leading female T20 batter Beth Mooney are among the latest women’s star signings. Women’s competition currently features three of world’s top five female international T20 batters and bowlers.
• The women’s competition will headline the start of The Hundred with Oval Invincibles taking on Manchester Originals in a standalone women’s match, live on Sky and BBC on July 21, a day before the men’s teams meet.

The Hundred will combine fast-paced cricket featuring world-class players with entertainment off the pitch making it a great day out for families.

The Hundred Draft featured 252 overseas players and 254 domestic players vying for the remaining places in the men’s teams.

Men’s Draft picks were (number in brackets indicates order of pick):

In the women’s competition Australians Beth Mooney, Meg Lanning and Alyssa Healy – three of the world’s top six female batters in international T20s – and England’s Sophie Ecclestone and Sarah Glenn – first and ninth in the world bowling rankings respectively – have been unveiled as well.

Players are being signed on an individual basis by the eight teams in the women’s competition, with no equivalent Draft event. Teams will continue to fill their squads over the coming months. Today’s announced signings were:

The fixtures for The Hundred were published earlier today and in a sporting first, the competition will launch with a women’s fixture as the headline act. Oval Invincibles will take on Manchester Originals at the Kia Oval on Wednesday 21 July in a match televised live on Sky and BBC – with the men’s sides following suit the next day.

After those first two games, men’s and women’s sides will both play at the same venue on the same date, with tickets allowing fans to watch both matches. All men’s and women’s games will be broadcast live on Sky. The Hundred will also be covered extensively across the BBC, including live television coverage of 10 men’s games and up to eight live women’s matches, including The Hundred Final for both the women’s and men’s competitions, which will take place at Lord’s on 21 August.

Men’s number two pick Kieron Pollard, who will play for Welsh Fire, said: “I can’t wait to come and play in The Hundred, it’s an exciting new cricket competition and I’m really pleased to be part of it. There were so many top players who entered The Draft and I was really happy to be the second pick. With Jhye [Richardson] joining as well, I think this Welsh Fire team has got some serious firepower in both bowling and batting line-ups, so I believe we can put on a real show.”

Simon Katich, Manchester Originals men’s team Head Coach, said: “We are really pleased with the players we picked up in The Draft. Pooran, Rabada and Shadab Khan are world class overseas players to bring in alongside a balance of young, local guys and some more senior players. We know that we were the team with most slots to fill going into The Draft, and I feel like it’s paid off and we’ve put together a well balanced squad that will do Manchester proud.”

Sophie Ecclestone, confirmed today as playing for Manchester Originals, said: “The thought of making history and potentially bowling the first ball of The Hundred is really exciting. It is fantastic news that the competition is launching with a women’s match and we can’t wait to get The Hundred off to the best possible start.”

Photo Credit: Twitter profile photo of @Sophecc19

Australia’s Meg Lanning, who will play for Welsh Fire, said “I’m really excited to be playing in The Hundred and to be leading Welsh Fire. We’ve got a strong Aussie contingent with myself, Jess (Jonassen) and Beth (Mooney) involved, alongside a host of up and coming domestic players. With Matthew Mott at the helm, we can’t wait to get going.”

For the latest news and priority access to tickets visit thehundred.com

Name of Author: ECB

ECB

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is the national governing body for cricket in England and Wales, formed on January 1, 1997. It combines roles from the Test and County Cricket Board, National Cricket Association, and Cricket Council, and integrated the Women’s Cricket Association in 1998. Based at Lord’s Cricket Ground, the ECB oversees all levels of cricket, including national teams for men, women, and various disability categories.