The Hundred will hold its first auction this week as the ECB’s short-format competition moves away from the draft.
In the previous draft system, each of the eight men’s and women’s franchises took turns picking a player in order to build their squad.
Now the players will be put on offer one by one, and each franchise will have the chance to make a bid, with the highest bidder signing them for this summer’s campaign.
The new format is similar to how the hugely successful Indian Premier League operates, and comes in the wake of significant investment in The Hundred by IPL teams.
Each team has already picked up to four players ahead of the auction, reducing their remaining budget for the auction itself.
What is The Hundred?
The Hundred is the ECB’s 100-ball short-format competition. It features eight specifically-created franchises around England and Wales, each fielding men’s and women’s teams who take part in separate competitions.
There is an initial league format, before finals day at the end of the tournament, when the trophy is won.
When is The Hundred auction?
The women’s auction will take place on Wednesday at 10am, and men’s edition will take place on Thursday at 11am. They will both be held at the Piccadilly Lights in central London.
How to watch
The auctions will both be broadcast live on Sky Sports Cricket. Subscribers can stream the action online via the Sky Sports website and app, as well Sky Go.
How does the auction work?
Each of the eight men’s and women’s sides have already chosen four players, one of whom had to be retained from last year’s squad.
The auction will then be split into three tiers: “hero”, “ranked” and “nominated” players.
Players are categorised based on a survey conducted ahead of the auction in which each team listed their most wanted players. The top 50 are dropped into the “hero” section and will be auctioned off one by one.
Those “hero” players not bought in the first section then join the next rung of “ranked” players and the auction continues.
All the unsigned players registered for The Hundred will then be up for grabs in the “nominated” players’ section. Each team will nominate a preferred pick, and if multiple teams name the same player, an auction will begin.
Each team can purchase 14-16 players, and are allowed to select a maximum of four overseas players.
There are additional “Vitality wildcard” spots available for players who show good form in the T20 Vitality Blast competition that precedes The Hundred.
Who has already been signed?
Birmingham Phoenix
Men
- Jacob Bethell (retained)
- Rehan Ahmed
- Mitchell Owen
- Donovan Ferreira
Women
- Ellyse Perry (retained)
- Alice Capsey
- Lauren Filer
- Lucy Hamilton
London Spirit
Men
- Jamie Overton (retained)
- Liam Livingstone
- Adam Zampa
- Dewald Brevis
Women
- Grace Harris (retained)
- Charlie Dean (retained)
- Mahika Gaur
- Marizanne Kapp
Manchester Super Giants
Men
- Jos Buttler (retained)
- Heinrich Klaasen (retained)
- Noor Ahmad (retained)
- Liam Dawson
Women
- Sophie Ecclestone (retained)
- Meg Lanning
- Smriti Mandhana
MI London
Men
- Sam Curran (retained)
- Will Jacks (retained)
- Rashid Khan (retained)
- Nicholas Pooran
Women
- Amelia Kerr
- Hayley Matthews
- Danni Wyatt-Hodge
Southern Brave
Men
- Jofra Archer (retained)
- Jamie Smith
- Marcus Stoinis
- Tristan Stubbs
Women
- Lauren Bell
- Maia Bouchier
- Laura Wolvaardt
- Jemimah Rodrigues
SunRisers Leeds
Men
- Harry Brook
- Brydon Carse
- Nathan Ellis
- Mitchell Marsh
Women
- Kate Cross
- Phoebe Litchfield
- Annabel Sutherland
Trent Rockets
Men
- Tom Banton
- Tim David
- Ben Duckett
- Mitchell Santner
Women
- Nat Sciver-Brunt (retained)
- Sophia Dunkley
- Ashleigh Gardner
- Kim Garth
Welsh Fire
Men
- Rachin Ravindra
- Phil Salt
Women
- Freya Kemp
- Georgia Wareham
- Georgia Voll
Which players are available in the auction?
There are more than 1,000 cricketers registered in the auction, from 18 countries around the world.
Some of the big names in the men’s auction include Joe Root, Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi, New Zealand’s Finn Allen and South Africa’s Quinton De Kock. The full list of men’s players can be found here.
Stars of the women’s game such as Kiwi Sophie Devine, Australia’s Beth Mooney and India’s Richa Ghosh will be in the auction. The full list of women’s players can be found here.
Who are the teams?
There are three new team names in this year’s competition following investment from the IPL. The Oval Invincibles have become MI London; the Northern Superchargers are now SunRisers Leeds; and Manchester Originals have become the Manchester Super Giants.
- Birmingham Phoenix (Edgbaston)
- London Spirit (Lord's)
- Manchester Super Giants (Emirates Old Trafford)
- MI London (The Kia Oval)
- Southern Brave (Utilita Bowl)
- SunRisers Leeds (Headingley)
- Trent Rockets (Trent Bridge)
- Welsh Fire (Sophia Gardens)
When is The Hundred?
The 2026 edition begins on Tuesday 21 July when MI London take on SunRisers Leeds at The Oval. Finals day takes place on Sunday 16 August.
How to buy tickets
Fans can register interest in buying tickets on The Hundred website here.
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