Trent Bridge, the home of men’s reigning champions Trent Rockets, will host the opening fixtures of this year’s Hundred on August 1, with the final once again scheduled for Lord’s, on August 27.
To enable this shortened window, all of the rounds will be played as men’s and women’s double-headers – a change from both 2021, when the tournament opened with a standalone women’s fixture at the Kia Oval, and 2022, when the women’s event was delayed by the concurrent Commonwealth Games – while there will be eight “double-double-header” days, on which four matches will be played.
The Hundred’s partnership with BBC Music Introducing will be continued for the 2023 event, meaning a diverse range of artists and DJs will once again provide in-game entertainment, while ticket prices are set at £5 for juniors aged 6-15, free for children five and under, and adults starting from £10.
For the first time in the competition’s history, both the men’s and women’s events will be preceded by a draft, which is due to be held on Thursday, March 2. Deadline day – the day on which retained players are confirmed across both competitions – is set to be Thursday, February 16.
“Lifting the trophy with my Oval Invincibles team-mates last year was a career highlight that I’ll never forget,” Lauren Winfield-Hill, the England batter, said. “The Hundred is such a thrilling competition to be a part of. The support we had at every game was just phenomenal and I can’t wait to get back into action to defend the title this year.
“The first ever women’s draft is definitely going to bring an exciting new element to the game and it will be interesting to see how the teams shape up for another fierce competition.”
Dawid Malan, last year’s leading run-maker in the men’s competition, and a reigning champion with Trent Rockets, added: “I have a lot of great memories from the Hundred 2022. The atmosphere in every ground was really enjoyable and winning the title at Lord’s was very special. This summer is shaping up to be massive for cricket in England and Wales and I’m really looking forward to the third year of the Hundred, playing with some of the best players in the world in front of big crowds.”
Sanjay Patel, the tournament’s managing director, said: “I am incredibly proud of the impact the Hundred has already had on cricket in England and Wales after just two years, providing a new format that has seen more families and a diverse new generation of fans getting into the game.
“As we enter year three, we’re looking forward to building on that momentum and putting on another unforgettable summer of world-class cricket action and entertainment that will continue to appeal to new and existing audiences alike.”
Beth Barrett-Wild, head of the women’s tournament, and of female engagement at the ECB, added: “We are in the middle of a really special period of time for professional women’s sport, with exponential levels of growth happening across every measure of engagement, from broadcast viewing figures to match day attendances.
“Since launching in 2021, the Hundred has had a transformational impact on women’s cricket, propelling the women’s game into the mainstream, and making household names of our brilliant female players.”