The Hundred will make history in its opening fixture as it launches with a women’s match on 21 July 2021.
The action-packed new 100-ball competition – designed to open cricket up to more families and young people - will start with Oval Invincibles hosting Manchester Originals at the Kia Oval on Wednesday 21 July before the same two men’s sides follow suit the following day.
It will be the first time a major UK team sporting event has launched men’s and women’s competitions alongside each other and headlined with a women’s match. The match will be televised live on Sky and BBC.
Newly announced Manchester Originals signing Sophie Ecclestone said: “The thought of making history and potentially bowling the first ball of The Hundred is really exciting. It is fantastic news that the competition is launching with a women’s match and we can’t wait to get The Hundred off to the best possible start.”
Beth Barrett-Wild, Head of The Hundred Women’s Competition, said: “Opening The Hundred with a standalone women’s match represents a historic moment, not just for cricket and women’s cricket, but more widely for sport. We are really proud to be able to make this announcement, and I cannot wait to see our brilliant female players walk out at the Kia Oval on 21 July. The schedule really epitomises how The Hundred is changing the game – putting gender-balance at its heart and presenting men and women on the same platform, with the same scale of ambition from the very start.”
The Hundred aims to make cricket more accessible to families and young people by fusing world-class, fast-paced cricket with family-friendly entertainment off the pitch. It features eight brand new teams based in Birmingham, Cardiff, Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham, Southampton and two in London.
The entire competition, including all men’s and women’s games will be broadcast live on Sky. The Hundred will also be covered extensively across the BBC, including live television coverage of 10 men’s games and up to eight live women’s matches, including The Hundred Final and the women’s opening game.
After the opening two matches, the rest of the schedule will see the men’s and women’s teams both playing on the same day, at the same venue, with the ambition to elevate women’s cricket through The Hundred. Tickets are incredibly good value for money and give fans the chance to see a women’s and a men’s game, plus added entertainment throughout.
Some of the key fixtures are:
The teams finishing second and third in the league stage will meet each other at the Kia Oval in The Hundred Eliminator on Friday 20 August to compete for a place in The Hundred Final against the league winners. Both the men’s and women’s finals will take place the following day on 21 August at Lord’s.
Manchester Originals star Jos Buttler said: "It is brilliant that we'll be involved in the opening two games of The Hundred and that the competition is kicking off with a women's game. The rest of our squad will be announced today and I’m sure both ourselves and Oval Invincibles will take to the field with sides full of quality come the opening fixtures.”
Tickets for The Hundred will go on sale to those signed up at thehundred.com through a priority window on 7 April, with general sale beginning on 21 April. Affordability for families has been prioritised with tickets for U16s at £5 and adult tickets starting at £10 for two games (women’s and men’s match) while kids U5 go free. Refund policies will be in place if matches are impacted by Covid.
Visit thehundred.com to find out more and to sign up for priority ticket access.
Full list of fixtures (all are both men’s and women’s matches unless stated)
About The Hundred
The Hundred is a brand new sports competition launching this summer. It fuses blockbuster entertainment with world-class cricket, inviting everyone to fall in love with the game at its intense, electrifying and incredible best.
Combining a new short, fast format of cricket, with each game lasting less than three hours, and incredible entertainment beyond sport, The Hundred will make cricket more accessible to reach a broader audience. It’s simple: 100 balls per team, most runs wins, so every ball counts.
The Hundred will feature eight brand new teams from seven cities, with men’s and women’s competitions taking place side by side: Welsh Fire (Cardiff), Southern Brave (Southampton), Northern Superchargers (Leeds), London Spirit, Trent Rockets (Nottingham), Oval Invincibles (London), Manchester Originals and Birmingham Phoenix. Each team will feature some of the best international and domestic cricketers from around the world, including England Men’s & Women’s World Cup winners.
Games will be broadcasted live on Sky Sports and BBC throughout the competition – so whether in ground or watching from home – you’ll be right amongst all the action.
Join us for the latest news and priority access to tickets by signing up at thehundred.com
Tickets
Tickets to the 2021 edition of The Hundred will be available to buy during four sales windows in the lead up to the competition this summer.
County Members will have first chance to get tickets, followed by people who bought tickets for the 2020 competition. Eligible members will be contacted directly by their county, and 2020 buyers will be contacted directly by The Hundred with more detail on these opportunities.
The Priority Window will then open to all those signed up to The Hundred, from 7th – 18th April – anyone not yet signed up can do so at www.thehundred.com to get access to this window. The General Sale will start from 21st April and is open to anyone to buy tickets.
