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The Hundred to launch with historic women's match: Oval Invincibles vs Manchester Originals kicks off 100-ball tournament

Tune in to The Hundred takeover on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports News on Tuesday as men's Draft picks and new signings for all eight women's sides are to be announced through the day

Oval Invincibles' Mady Villiers will go head-to-head with Sophie Ecclestone of the Manchester Originals in The Hundred
Image: Oval Invincibles' Mady Villiers will go head-to-head with Sophie Ecclestone of the Manchester Originals in The Hundred

The Hundred will make history in its opening fixture as it launches with a women's match. The action-packed new 100-ball competition will start with Oval Invincibles hosting Manchester Originals at the Kia Oval on Wednesday, July 21, before the same two men's sides face off 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.

Lord's will host The Hundred Final (men's and women's) on August 21, with the The Hundred Eliminator taking place the day before at the Kia Oval. The entire competition, including all men's and women's games, will be broadcast live on Sky.

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The Hundred is a brand new competition featuring the world's best players from the men's and women's games: 100 balls per team, most runs wins, it's as simple as that

'Making history'

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.

Sophie Ecclestone of England, center, celebrates with teammates after taking a wicket against Thailand during their Women's T20 World Cup cricket match in Canberra, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020. (Lukas Coch/AAP Image via AP)..
Image: Sophie Ecclestone is currently ranked the world's No 1 ranked bowler in Women's T20 cricket

England spinner, and 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."

Fellow Manchester Originals and England 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."

Also See:

Jos Buttler (Associated Press)
Image: England wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler is part of the Manchester Originals squad

The Hundred is a new tournament with the aim of opening cricket up to more 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. It is 100 balls for each side, whoever scores the most runs wins.

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The Hundred is coming with games every day from July 21 to August 21 and a host of stars set to light it up across the country!

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 July 21.

"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 Fixtures

The opening fixtures for the inaugural edition of The Hundred have been announced
Image: The opening fixtures for the inaugural edition of The Hundred have been announced

On the opening weekend (July 24-25), Trent Rockets host Southern Brave, Northern Superchargers welcome Welsh Fire and London Spirit take on Oval Invincibles in the first derby of The Hundred.

Manchester Originals face Northern Superchargers at Emirates Old Trafford on July 28, with the reverse fixture at Emerald Headingley on August 12. The group fixtures end on August 18 with London Spirit travelling to Cardiff to take on Welsh Fire.

Tickets will go on sale for The Hundred from April 7 in a priority window. Visit thehundred.com to sign up and get priority ticket access and all the latest information.

Tickets go on general sale from April 21. 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.

Full list of fixtures (all are both men's and women's matches unless stated)

July 21: Oval Invincibles v Manchester Originals (women's), Kia Oval

July 22: Oval Invincibles v Manchester Originals (men's), Kia Oval

July 23: Birmingham Phoenix v London Spirit, Edgbaston

July 24: Trent Rockets v Southern Brave, Trent Bridge

Northern Superchargers v Welsh Fire, Emerald Headingley

July 25: London Spirit v Oval Invincibles, Lord's

Manchester Originals v Birmingham Phoenix, Emirates Old Trafford

July 26: Trent Rockets v Northern Superchargers, Trent Bridge

July 27: Welsh Fire v Southern Brave, Sophia Gardens

July 28: Manchester Originals v Northern Superchargers, Emirates Old Trafford

July 29: London Spirit v Trent Rockets, Lord's

July 30: Southern Brave v Birmingham Phoenix, Ageas Bowl

July 31: Welsh Fire v Manchester Originals, Sophia Gardens

Northern Superchargers v Oval Invincibles, Emerald Headingley

August 1: Birmingham Phoenix v Trent Rockets, Egdbaston

London Spirit v Southern Brave, Lord's

August 2: Oval Invincibles v Welsh Fire, Kia Oval

August 3: London Spirit v Northern Superchargers, Lord's

August 4: Birmingham Phoenix v Oval Invincibles, Edgbaston

August 5: Manchester Originals v Southern Brave, Emirates Old Trafford

August 6: Welsh Fire v Trent Rockets, Sophia Gardens

August 7: Southern Brave v Northern Superchargers, Ageas Bowl

August 8: Oval Invincibles v Trent Rockets, Kia Oval

August 9: Birmingham Phoenix v Welsh Fire, Edgbaston

August 10: Manchester Originals v London Spirit, Emirates Old Trafford

August 11: Southern Brave v Welsh Fire, Ageas Bowl

August 12: Northern Superchargers v Manchester Originals, Emerald Headingley

August 13: Trent Rockets v Birmingham Phoenix, Trent Bridge

August 14: Oval Invincibles v London Spirit, Kia Oval

August 15: Trent Rockets v Manchester Originals, Trent Bridge

August 16: Southern Brave v Oval Invincibles, Ageas Bowl

August 17: Northern Superchargers v Birmingham Phoenix, Emerald Headingley

August 18: Welsh Fire v London Spirit, Sophia Gardens

August 20: Women's and Men's Eliminator, Kia Oval

August 21: Men's and Women's Finals, Lord's

The Hundred will also be covered by the BBC, with 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.

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 thehundred.com, from April 7-18, before they then go on general sale will start from April 21 and are open to anyone to buy tickets.

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