Watch The Hundred live and in full on Sky Sports from Wednesday August 3; women's competition starts on August 11, after the conclusion of Commonwealth Games; Finals Day at Lord's on September 3; Southern Brave men and Oval Invincibles women are defending champions in 100-ball tournament
Thursday 4 August 2022 09:10, UK
Sky Sports' Nasser Hussain looks ahead to the second edition of The Hundred and the "world-class, world-beaters" set to take centre stage, as well as how the Lionesses' Euros win might help and which players might be pushing for England selection...
What you find out with The Hundred - given then sell-out crowds, and the sizeable audience watching from home - is whether people can do it under pressure.
What impressed me most, without a doubt, from last year's tournament was the impact it had on women's cricket, showing off the skill in the women's game.
That first game - Oval Invincibles versus Manchester Originals - I had my family with me in the crowd. The atmosphere was just phenomenal, and it had different feel about it.
A couple of games later we had Alice Capsey, aged 16, rocking up at Lord's for the first time and bashing a fifty. It had really good stories.
Already, you're seeing with the England Women's team, there has been a bit of a change in personnel since, with the likes of Anya Shrubsole retiring but also people like Issy Wong coming in and doing really well.
Capsey just scored her first fifty in international cricket at the Commonwealth Games. Sophia Dunkley has moved up to open the innings in T20 cricket due to how well she has played in the last year or so.
With what happened this weekend with the Lionesses winning the Euros, women's sport just continues to enjoy upward growth. You can only imagine that local football clubs are currently being flooded.
That's the important stuff. That we make sure we have the coaches, the set-up, the clubs and the space for girls to play these sports.
It's not just success at the top end, we have to make sure that at the grass-roots level, everything that can be done, is done, so that this new crop of young boys and girls wanting to play, you can cater for them.
I work at a local cricket club, I watch my son and daughter play, see it played at schools, and you just see the impact from things like The Hundred.
As for the men, England have had an average summer in white-ball cricket, but the ones in possession of the shirt who have struggled, like Jason Roy, have a real opportunity in The Hundred to get back into form.
New head coach Matthew Mott was clear, saying the T20 series defeat to South Africa was a "line in the sand" moment. Those defeats weren't good enough and people are playing for their places.
Roy is a real form player. He is a bit streaky and will go through periods like this, but then suddenly he could have a magnificent tournament in The Hundred and just remind everyone of his talent.
He is the sort of player England desperately want to do well. He epitomises their approach in white-ball cricket, with his attitude.
But there's also people like Will Smeed - just 20 years old - who absolutely expressed himself and took centre stage in The Hundred last year. It's a great opportunity for him, if he has another fabulous tournament of smashing it everywhere, as the likes of Mott and Rob Key will be watching on.
It's an opportunity to either regain form or, if you're on the periphery, to showcase your skills. It's the same with the ball, especially given all of the injuries England have - look what has happened to Richard Gleeson recently, coming in to make his debut aged 34.
There are two World Cups coming up. The men's T20 World Cup takes place in October and November in Australia, and the Women's T20 World Cup is in South Africa in February - there are places up for grabs.
I'm excited for the arrival of the Australian women's side this year. Under Meg Lanning, you could argue, it's the greatest white-ball cricket side there has been in the women's game.
A large percentage of that side are over for the tournament. To have Alyssa Healy smashing it around at the top of the order, to have Lanning, Ellyse Perry, Tahlia McGrath, Alana King.
There's also a girl at Southern Brave, Amanda Jade-Wellington, who did very well last summer and I think will impress again.
The Aussies are absolutely going to add to the tournament. I'm looking forward to watching the world-class, world-beaters add to The Hundred.
For the men, there's the big names, your franchise superstars, like Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Tim David - the players who, when you watch them in action, it's immediately obvious why they travel the world; they belt the ball for six, bowl the speed of light or bowl mystery spin.
Wrist spin will be key, in both the men's and women's game. If you're doing your Fantasy League teams, make sure you get some wrist spinners in.
But I'm also keen to see the young players that appear from nowhere - like Smeed and Capsey did last year. I actually prefer those stories.
There was also the lad that came through with Smeed at the Birmingham Phoenix, Chris Benjamin. I remember Kevin Pietersen waxing lyrical about some the reverse-sweeps he played as, under pressure, he won them a game against Oval Invincibles right at the end.
As for who could win it? I like both of the Southern Brave squads. I liked them last year too and the women were one game away from doing the double.
Thy are well led, with two good captains in James Vince and Shrubsole, plus the coaches in Mahela Jayawardena and Charlotte Edwards. Serious names there.
They have a good mixture of pace, wrist spin and batting depth. Maybe this year they can complete the double?
That said, the one thing I've learnt is, the shorter the format, the more unpredictable it will be. Anyone could win it.
One thing I will say; a nice story - after Shane Warne's sad passing earlier this year - would be if his London Spirit had a good tournament.
They had a bit of a shocker last year. If they were to win it this time round, there may not be a dry eye in the house.
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