The Hundred: Nat Sciver-Brunt, Tammy Beaumont, Sophie Ecclestone and Jos Buttler on return of competition
The Hundred is back for 2023 as the Oval Invincibles (women) and the Trent Rockets (men) look to defend their titles from 12 months ago; watch all 68 games live on Sky Sports from Tuesday, starting with Trent Rockets vs Southern Brave
Tuesday 1 August 2023 05:59, UK
Nat Sciver-Brunt hopes the record-breaking crowds throughout the Women's Ashes Series are reflected at The Hundred.
The opening fixture of the Women's Ashes at Trent Bridge saw 11,000 fans in the stands, and 110,000 spectators attended the series, which ended in a draw following England's resurgence in the T20 and ODI games.
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"The Hundred always brings in really good crowds for both of the games. I love the fact we play and the guys player after," Sciver-Brunt told Sky Sports News.
"We can stay and support them and the crowd tends to come in and support us as well. Those numbers during the Test match were incredible, so hopefully they have got a flavour of women's cricket and we see some of them back."
Sciver-Brunt will captain the Trent Rockets side, who get the competition under way on Tuesday at 2:30pm on Sky Sports Cricket.
The Rockets reached the final eliminator last year and narrowly missed out on the final, which the England all-rounder hopes to change this year.
"I'm very excited, really looking forward to get out there as a team. We have had a few new faces through the off-season, so we are looking to enjoy ourselves out there and hopefully put in a good performance," said Sciver-Brunt.
"We need a bit more consistency with the batting. It has probably been our downfall in the first two years. But I think we have some really experienced batter on side this time around. Hopefully we can do a little bit better in that department."
Beaumont has no plans to retire
The Welsh Fire have had contrasting fortunes as they have finished bottom of the women's standings in the two editions of The Hundred.
Their captain Tammy Beaumont hinted at retirement before the Ashes Series, but has no plans to stop any time soon after England's impressive performances.
"I had a tough winter. A new coach coming in wanted to play a slightly different way of playing and at the age of 32 I had to get back to finding what I was good at four or five years ago," she explained.
"It's always one of those that you start doubting yourself no matter how many games you have played, you doubt whether you can still do it at the top level. Thankfully, the way I played this summer there are no thoughts of retirement for now and who knows in another four or five years.
"It's been a brilliant summer of cricket, particularly having the men and women alongside each other in The Ashes. Now it's time to take over with some exciting Hundred cricket."
Ecclestone: I absolutely love The Hundred
Ecclestone says she's been getting tips from England skipper Heather Knight, who will lead the London Spirit.
"I'm just so excited to captain this team, it's an absolute honour… I've already taken a few of Heather's tips. I've been watching closely what she's been doing and taking it into my own game and hopefully I can captain as well as her," said Ecclestone.
"I absolutely love The Hundred. I think it's getting a new aspect of people to watch our games. It's so exciting to watch and it's a different vibe and I just look forward to every year. Especially representing somewhere like Manchester, it's a massive city and somewhere close to home so it's very exciting.
"I heard that a lot of tickets have been sold for The Hundred and I'm just really excited to get going and keep playing in front of massive crowds and inspire the next generation.
"I hope everyone continues to watch women's cricket. I think it's a great spectacle. We've shown over the Ashes how massive it was and hopefully it continues over The Hundred. It's a great format of the game to watch from the stands, so come and watch."
Buttler: Cricket should be as popular as ever
The Hundred begins less than 24 hours after the conclusion of a thrilling Ashes Series. It continues the great summer of cricket, with each of the 68 games from The Hundred live on Sky Sports.
Jos Buttler picked up a calf injury in The Hundred last year as his Manchester Originals side took runners-up spot and he is keen to go one better this month.
"I think The Hundred's been great. I've really enjoyed playing in it. It's great to see new people coming in and enjoying the cricket and also the existing fans as well," said Buttler.
"So it's been brilliantly supported and obviously being on the tail end of what's been a quite incredible Ashes series I feel like cricket should be as popular as ever.
"There's a lot of strong side. I think Trent Rockets, who beat us in the final last year, have a very strong squad again, probably the team to beat will be the reigning champions."
The Hundred 2023 Fixtures
- August 1: Trent Rockets vs Southern Brave, Trent Bridge, women 3pm, men 6.30pm
- August 2: Welsh Fire vs Manchester Originals, Sophia Gardens, women 11.30am, men 3pm
- August 2: London Spirit vs Oval Invincibles, Lord's, women 3pm, men 6.30pm
- August 3: Northern Superchargers vs Birmingham Phoenix, Headingley, women 3pm, men 6.30pm
- August 4: Southern Brave vs Welsh Fire, Ageas Bowl, women 3pm, men 6.30pm
- August 5: Manchester Originals vs London Spirit, Emirates Old Trafford, women 11am, men 2.30pm
- August 5: Birmingham Phoenix vs Trent Rockets, Edgbaston, women 2.30pm, men 6pm
- August 6: Southern Brave vs Northern Superchargers, Ageas Bowl, women 11am, men 2.30pm
- August 6: Oval Invincibles vs Welsh Fire, Kia Oval, women 2.30pm, men 6pm
- August 7: Manchester Originals vs Birmingham Phoenix, Emirates Old Trafford, women 3pm, men 6.30pm
- August 8: London Spirit vs Southern Brave, Lord's, women 3pm, men 6.30pm
- August 9: Trent Rockets vs Northern Superchargers, Trent Bridge, women 11am, men 3pm
- August 9: Oval Invincibles vs Manchester Originals, Kia Oval, women 3pm, men 6.30pm
- August 10: Birmingham Phoenix vs Welsh Fire, Edgbaston, women 3pm, men 6.30pm
- August 11: Northern Superchargers vs Oval Invincibles, Headingley women 3pm, men 6.30pm
- August 12: London Spirit vs Trent Rockets, Lord's, women 11am, men 3pm
- August 12: Welsh Fire vs Southern Brave, Sophia Gardens, women 2.30pm, men 6pm
- August 13: Northern Superchargers vs Manchester Originals, Headingley, women 11am, men 2.30pm
- August 13: Birmingham Phoenix vs Oval Invincibles, Edgbaston, women 2.30pm, men 6pm
- August 14: Welsh Fire vs Trent Rockets, Sophia Gardens, women 3pm, men 6.30pm
- August 15: Oval Invincibles vs London Spirit, Kia Oval, women 3pm, men 6.30pm
- August 16: Southern Brave vs Birmingham Phoenix, Ageas Bowl, women 3pm, men 6.30pm
- August 17: Trent Rockets vs Manchester Originals, Trent Bridge, women 3pm, men 6.30pm
- August 18: London Spirit vs Northern Superchargers, Lord's, women 3pm, men 6.30pm
- August 19: Trent Rockets vs Birmingham Phoenix, Trent Bridge, women 11am, men 2.30pm
- August 19: Southern Brave vs Oval Invincibles, Ageas Bowl, women 2.30pm, men 6pm
- August 20: Manchester Originals vs Northern Superchargers, women 11am, men 2.30pm
- August 20: Welsh Fire vs London Spirit, Sophia Gardens, women 2.30pm, men 6pm
- August 21: Oval Invincibles vs Trent Rockets, Kia Oval, women 3pm, men 6.30pm
- August 22: Northern Superchargers vs Welsh Fire, Headingley, women 3pm, men 6.30pm
- August 23: Manchester Originals vs Southern Brave, Emirates Old Trafford, women 3pm, men 6.30pm
- August 24: Birmingham Phoenix vs London Spirit, Edgbaston, women 3pm, men 6.30pm
- August 26: The Hundred Eliminator, Kia Oval, women 2.30pm, men 6pm
- August 27: The Hundred Final, Lord's, women 2.15pm, men 6pm
Sky Sports will show all 68 games in The Hundred live this summer. Stream The Hundred and more with NOW
