ESPNcricinfo understands that each team will be allowed to use one of their 10 retained spots to sign overseas directly next year, allowing them to negotiate with players without resorting to the draft. Teams are also allowed a fourth overseas player in the squad, but only three can play in the XI.
Salary increases for both the men’s and women’s games mean Hundred’s top salary is now almost identical to that offered in Australia’s Big Bash Leagues. The highest salary for a Hundred man is £200,000, which falls in the A$360,000-420,000 range for a platinum BBL pick. The highest salary for women is £65,000, slightly more than the A$110,000 offered by the WBBL.
Rob Hillman, the ECB’s head of major events, described the pay rise as “vital in the current global cricket environment”. He said: “We hope the best players taking part in the Hundred will continue to entertain the millions of fans who have come through the competition over its four years, especially families, young people and those who are new to the game.”
“We are delighted to have been able to raise the top earner in the men’s competition to £200,000, and to have awarded the top earner in the women’s competition £65,000 is another step forward – it is now four times the amount we are offering in the first year of the women’s competition. What we’ve been able to do speaks to the continued growth of the game and is certainly not the end of our journey.
“We are very excited to see where Hundred goes next. Our conversations with potential investors have been incredibly positive, and we are committed to continuing to deliver world-class competition that excites fans around the world.”
The Hundred is scheduled to run from 5 to 31 August next year, with fixtures due to be released early next year.
