The Hundred draft 2019: When is it, where to watch and how does it work?

New cricket competition will take place next summer and will feature an innovative format

Alex Pattle
Sunday 20 October 2019 16:59 BST
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On Thursday 10th October, 40 men and women were drafted by the eight new teams that will take part in next summer’s inaugural ‘The Hundred’ cricket competition.

England’s Ben Stokes, Joe Root, Jofra Archer, Heather Knight and Anya Shrubsole - among others – all found out their destinations.

The Northern Superchargers have Stokes, Archer will play for Southern Brave, and Root will represent the Trent Rockets.

But there is more to be decided. Players like Australia’s Steve Smith and David Warner are still awaiting news on their teams, as is West Indies star Chris Gayle.

Here’s everything you need to know:

What is ‘The Hundred’?

It’s a new competition, in which eight teams from seven UK cities will face off against each other. Each team will have a men’s side and a women’s side, consisting of 15 players each.

Matches will see each team bat for 100 balls, with the side securing the most runs emerging victorious.

The 100 balls can be bowled in sets of five or 10, and bowlers can switch ends halfway through a 10-ball spell if they wish. No bowler can deliver more than 20 balls, and each team is allowed a 150-second tactical timeout while fielding.

There will also be a batting ‘power play’ for the first 25 balls, during which only two fielders will be allowed outside the 30-yard circle.

Teams will generally play each other once, but will take on their paired ‘rivals’ twice – once at home and once away.

There will be 32 league matches overall, with the top three finishers partaking in the Finals Day. The first-placed team will automatically reach the final, while second play third for the other spot in the final.

The paired rivals are: the Northern Superchargers and the Manchester Originals, London Spirit and the Oval Invincibles, Birmingham Phoenix and the Trent Rockets, and Southern Brave and Welsh Fire.

When does it take place?

The competition will be played between 17th July and 16th August 2020.

England Test captain Joe Root will play for Trent Rockets 

When is the main draft?

The remaining places in the 15-person squads will be filled on 20th October in a full draft.

A draw has already determined the order in which each team will get to pick their players, with the Trent Rockets first up.

Where can I watch the draft?

It will be live streamed on the BBC Sport website at 7pm (BST).

How does it work?

There are seven salary bands, with up to two players to be picked at each band (£125,000, £100,000, £75,000, £60,000, £50,000, £40,000 and £30,000 are the men’s bands, with captains receiving a £10,000 bonus).

Players can select a minimum salary band at which they are willing to play, but they will not be selected during the main draft if their reserve price is not met.

Teams can pick a maximum of three overseas players. The biggest names in world cricket – excluding current India internationals – are expected to make themselves available.

After the main draft, each team will have the chance of a ‘wildcard’ pick, to be chosen during the T20 Blast next year, and that player will receive a £30,000 contract.

The second stage of the selection process concerns the women’s game and will take place between 1st October 2019 and 30th May 2020.

Two women have already been picked by each team, and the remaining 13 spaces in the squads will be filled from three different player pools: the remaining England centrally contracted players, overseas players and domestic players.

Teams can sign one further England centrally contracted player during stage two and can sign a maximum of three overseas players.

The women’s salary brackets are £15,000, £12,000, £9,000, £7,200, £6,000, £4,800 and £3,600, with captains will receiving a £1,200 bonus.

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