The ECB have announced a raft of “domestic” signings for The Hundred, including ex-England contracted players Alex Hartley and Tash Farrant, who will play for the Manchester Originals and the Oval Invincibles respectively.
These are the first wave of non-“marquee” players signed for the competition, with established county “pros” like Marie Kelly (Birmingham Phoenix) and Naomi Dattani (London Spirit), both of whom captained their counties last season, joining young guns like fast bowlers Lauren Bell (Southern Brave) and Issy Wong (Birmingham).
For the likes of veteran Katie Levick (Northern Superchargers) The Hundred is an opportunity for a final hurrah in the spotlight; whilst for others like Eve Jones (Birmingham) and Sophie Luff (Welsh Fire) it represents a chance to impress new England coach Lisa Keightley, who name-checked them both in her first press conference at Lord’s last week, promising to cast the net wide in terms of selection next summer.
With 8 new Centres of Excellence currently being established, loosely partnered with The Hundred sides, these players will likely all be allocated to the corresponding “CoE”, and so unsurprisingly almost all of these selections are driven by where the players currently live.
A key exception to this though is Yorkie Hollie Armitage, who will be joining the Oval Invincibles, and who we understand is currently taking lessons in the correct pronunciation of “Sarf Lundun” and “innit”.
Birmingham Phoenix
Evelyn Jones, Isabelle Wong, Marie Kelly, Ria Fackrell
London Spirit
Aylish Cranstone, Charlie Dean, Hannah Jones, Naomi Dattani
Manchester Originals
Alex Hartley, Ellie Threlkeld, Emma Lamb, Georgie Boyce
Northern Superchargers
Bess Heath, Georgia Davis, Helen Fenby, Katie Levick
Oval Invincibles
Georgia Adams, Hollie Armitage, Rhianna Southby, Tash Farrant
Trent Rockets
Beth Langston, Kathryn Bryce, Sarah Glenn, Mady Villiers
Southern Brave
Fi Morris, Lauren Bell, Paige Scholfield, Sophia Dunkley
Welsh Fire
Alex Griffiths, Claire Nicholas, Georgia Hennessy, Sophie Luff
Huzzah for the Oval. Invincible innit.
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