England's much-anticipated and self-invented franchise, The Hundred, has begun its greasing for the third edition of the league. On Thursday, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), who has yet to sell the franchises, after asking all the countries - named the retentions to play in the competition this summer.
February 16 - The date marks to be the Deadline for retaining players for both men's and women's teams. Each team was allowed to keep 10 men players and 4 women players.
Earlier in the month, the ECB gave a choice to the teams to contract an English men's international who had been on their books for 2022, as long as they had a place available in their squad at the same salary band.
Here are how the 10 teams look after their retentions:
Birmigham Phoenix
Birmingham have retained all 10 in the men's category and 4 players for the women's category. Among their retentions are four foreign players - Shadab Khan, Adam Milne, Kane Richardson and Ellyse Perry.
For the Hundred Men's, they have retained the whole of their core team from last season, and they have done well in picking players for the Hundred Women's.
Men: Chris Woakes (contracted player), Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Shadab Khan (Pakistan), Adam Milne (New Zealand), Benny Howell, Will Smeed, Kane Richardson (Australia), Tom Helm, Chris Benjamin, Dan Mousley
Women: Amy Jones, Ellyse Perry (Australia), Issy Wong, Emily Arlott
London Spirit
After Eion Morgan's retirement, the London side had to look to build a strong men's team, and we have done exceedingly well in that department. They have retained 11 men (Mark Wood as their contracted player) and four women's cricketers, of which three are overseas.
Men: Mark Wood, Glenn Maxwell (Australia), Nathan Ellis (Australia), Liam Dawson, Dan Lawrence, Zak Crawley, Jordan Thompson, Mason Crane, Adam Rossington, Chris Wood, Ravi Bopara
Women: Heather Knight, Amelia Kerr (Australia), Charlie Dean, Danielle Gibson
Manchester Originals
For the Hundred Men's, just like any other team, they have retained a strong bunch, but due to limited options, they had to struggle with their women's cricketers.
They might have contracted their men's captain Jos Buttler, but they had to let go of their last season's skipper Kate Cross.
Men: Jos Buttler, Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka), Phil Salt, Jamie Overton, Tom Hartley, Richard Gleeson, Paul Walter, Josh Little (Ireland), Wayne Madsen, Tom Lammonby, Mitchell Stanley
Women: Sophie Ecclestone, Deandra Dottin (West Indies), Emma Lamb, Ellie Threlkeld
Northern Superchargers
The Superchargers have gone with 9 men's cricketers and 4 women's cricketers for the upcoming edition of the Hundred. After Anya Shrubsole's retirement, they have decided to look forward.
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Men: Ben Stokes, Adil Rashid, Harry Brook, Adam Lyth, Adam Hose, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, David Wiese (Namibia), Wayne Parnell (South Africa), Callum Parkinson
Women: Alyssa Healy (Australia), Linsey Smith, Hollie Armitage, Bess Heath
Oval Invincibles
After contracting Sam Curran, they have two just retained two foreign players in Sunil Narine and Marizanne Kapp. The Women's team won the last edition, but Oval have decided to look past their then-skipper Suzie Bates. Meanwhile, the men's team looks like a formidable unit.
Men: Sam Curran, Sunil Narine (West Indies), Will Jacks, Jason Roy, Tom Curran, Sam Billings, Saqib Mahmood, Jordan Cox, Gus Atkinson, Danny Briggs, Natha Sowter
Women: Marizanne Kapp (South Africa), Alice Capsey, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Tash Farrant
Southern Brave
They are the only team who has retained an Indian cricketer, with Smriti Mandhana strengthing their women's side. Meanwhile, for the men's team, the return and availability of Jofra Archer will be a huge boast for the Brave.
Men: Jofra Archer, James Vince, Chris Jordan, Tymal Mills, Rehan Ahmed, Craig Overton, Finn Allen (New Zealand), George Garton, James Fuller, Alex Davies, Joe Weatherley
Women: Smriti Mandhana (India), Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Freya Kemp
Trent Rockets
The Rockets have retained both their skippers for the latest coming season, apart from bagging the services of Rashid Khan, Daniel Sams and Alana King as their foreign prospects.
Men: Joe Root, Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), Dawid Malan, Alex Hales, Lewis Gregory, Luke Wood, Colin Munro (New Zealand), Sam Cook, Daniel Sams (Australia), Samit Patel, Matt Carter
Women: Nat Sciver-Brunt, Katherine Sciver-Brunt, Alana King (Australia), Bryony Smith
Welsh Fire
Welsh are the team with the smallest pole of retentions, with 8 retentions apart from Jonny Bairstow as their contracted player.
Men: Jonny Bairstow, Joe Clarke, Ollie Pope, David Payne, Jake Ball, George Scrimshaw
Women: Tammy Beaumont, Hayley Matthews (West Indies), Annabel Sutherland (Australia)
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