England Men’s batter Ben Duckett and New Zealand Women’s all-rounder Sophie Devine are two of the big-name selections at The Hundred Draft, powered by Sage. The pair were Birmingham Phoenix’s first-round picks of the competition, with Jamie Smith, Miles Hammond, Hannah Baker, Eve Jones, and Katie Levick joining them at Edgbaston.
Duckett, previously with Welsh Fire, will add more firepower to a top-order that already includes England Men’s duo Moeen Ali and Liam Livingstone. Will Smeed, who hit the first-ever hundred in The Hundred last year, also returns.
Ben Duckett, said: "I’m delighted to be joining Birmingham Phoenix as we’ve had plenty of conversations over the past few months and just never know how the picks will fall during the draft.
“For me, it’s a fresh start with a great team and a great ground to play at. I’ve spent a bit of time with Mo [Moeen Ali] this winter and he’s a great captain who I love playing with. Looking at the squad I feel we have a good balance, complemented by some explosive batters, so I can’t wait to call Edgbaston and its fantastic atmosphere home this summer.”
Sophie Devine said: “I’m excited to be back in The Hundred as I had such a great time with the Phoenix last year. Edgbaston is one of the best grounds to play cricket at and the atmosphere and support we receive there is second to none.
“The squad we’re putting together looks incredibly strong and I can’t wait to fly over to Birmingham this summer and play for the Phoenix.” The Hundred Draft saw 64 spots filled across the men’s and women’s competition, with the eight teams taking it in turns to select players – the order for selections is based on last year’s finishing positions.
Among the stars signed by other teams were Pakistan duo Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf, who are heading to Welsh Fire along with England Women’s batter Sophia Dunkley. England bowlers Kate Cross and Reece Topley joined Northern Superchargers, and South Africa batter Laura Wolvaardt moves to Manchester Originals. Batter Tom Abell was first choice in the men’s draft, being picked up by Mike Hussey's Welsh Fire.
The open market process will see the remaining 56 places filled in the women’s competition, while 16 spots remain up for grabs in the men’s competition by virtue of The Vitality Wildcard Draft, which will be held in the week commencing 3 July.
Across the men’s and women’s competitions, the following players were signed:
Women
Sophie Devine, Hannah Baker, Eve Jones, Katie Levick
Men
Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith, Miles Hammond,
The third year of The Hundred will start with a double-header at Trent Bridge on Tuesday 1 August – the first of 34 matchdays that promise high-octane men’s and women’s sporting action, live music, and a host of family-friendly entertainment. More than half a million people attended games during The Hundred’s second year in 2022, including a record-breaking 271,000 watching live women’s fixtures across the competition and more families buying tickets than in 2021.
