The Hundred returns with fresh concerns over controversial competition’s future

The fourth edition of The Hundred gets underway on Tuesday, when Oval Invincibles take on Birmingham Phoenix in a double-header at the Kia Oval.

English cricket’s most controversial competition once again begins with question marks over its future.

In the here and now, the tournament promises packed houses and days out for families up and down the country.

In isolation, it has never had an issue: high-quality cricket combined with affordable ticket prices; and the boost it has given the women’s game is without compare. “I don’t understand why anyone would think about getting rid of that,” said England bowler Kate Cross last year.

But The Hundred is as much a political debate as a cricket one. Designed to be the golden goose of the sport, it is reported that the ECB’s plan to sell a 49 per cent stake in each team to private investors has hit serious issues, with fears growing that the competition will not generate the cash injection that cricket in this country is relying on.

England’s Test players will become available in stages throughout the tournament, with the majority of the squad to be made available after the conclusion of the Third Test against West Indies next week. This includes Harry Brook, who will captain the Northern Superchargers.

The competition will be boosted by Test captain Ben Stokes featuring for the first time since 2021. He will be captained by Brook and coached by Andrew Flintoff.

But white-ball captain Jos Buttler is likely to miss the entirety of the competition through injury. His opening partner and England batter Phil Salt is expected to deputise as skipper for Manchester Originals.

On Tuesday, the Invincibles’ women, who won the 2021 and 2022 editions, take on the Phoenix, who are boosted by the return of Australian Ellyse Perry, arguably the greatest female cricketer of all time.

On Tuesday evening, the men kick-off, with the Invincibles playing as defending champions. A number of England stars are expected to play, including Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Will Jacks and Liam Livingstone.