The Hundred 2021: 3 teams to watch out for
One of the most unique tournaments in the history of cricket, The Hundred is all set to enthrall millions of fans all across the globe. The brainchild of the England and Wales Cricket Board, the franchise-based league, will be played as a 100-ball tournament with exciting rules and regulations to attract fans.
The inaugural edition of the extravaganza commenced with the Oval Invincibles beating the Manchester Originals at The Oval.
With eight teams locking horns, the tournament promises to be an ideal platform for England to unearth domestic talent whilst preparing for the ICC World T20 scheduled later this year.
The much-awaited tournament was postponed last year amid growing concerns about the pandemic. The summit clash is set to take place at the Home of Cricket, Lord's, on 21st August.
Let's look at the top three sides to watch out for in the tournament.
#1 London Spirit
Eoin Morgan, the catalyst behind England's revolution in the limited-overs format, will be at the helm of affairs for the London Spirit in The Hundred. The southpaw will be a vital cog in the batting unit and shoulder the bulk of the responsibility of the side.
The pace bowling unit looks settled with the addition of Mohammad Amir along with Jade Dernbach. However, the team will rely heavily on the experience of Ravi Bopara and Mohammad Nabi to lend stability to the playing XI with their all-around abilities.
Squad: Zak Crawley, Dan Lawrence, Eoin Morgan (c), Mohammad Amir, Jade Dernbach, Mohammad Nabi, Luis Reece, Adam Rossington (wk), Mason Crane, Joe Denly, Josh Inglis (wk), Roelof van der Merwe, Mark Wood, Ravi Bopara, Chris Wood, Blake Cullen.
#2 Trent Rockets
Trent Rockets, one of the most formidable batting units in The Hundred, are among the favorites. With the likes of Dawid Malan and Alex Hales along with D’Arcy Short, the top order possesses plenty of firepower to take the game away from the opposition.
The onus of the bowling unit will be on Rashid Khan and his variations to pick up crucial wickets in the middle overs to dent the opposition in The Hundred. With the addition of Samit Patel to the ranks, the spin bowling unit looks settled. Marchant de Lange will spearhead the young and inexperienced pace bowling unit.
Squad: Joe Root (c), Rashid Khan, Alex Hales, Matthew Carter, Dawid Malan, Tom Moores (wk), Steven Mullaney, Ben Cox (wk), Lewis Gregory, D’Arcy Short, Luke Wood, Luke Wright, Samit Patel, Timm van der Gugten, Sam Cook, Wahab Riaz, Marchant de Lange.
#3 Birmingham Phoenix
Moeen Ali will lead the Birmingham Phoenix in this edition of The Hundred. The all-rounder has been in sublime form at the top of the order for the Chennai Super Kings and will look to continue leading from the front in The Hundred.
The southpaw will have another promising young talent, Liam Livingstone, in the mix to bolster the batting unit. After an impressive run in the recently concluded series against Pakistan, the right-hander will be keen to showcase his prowess in The Hundred and cement his place in the World T20 squad later this year.
The bowling unit of the side possesses a wealth of experience with Chris Woakes and Imran Tahir shouldering the responsibility. Adam Milne, the New Zealand international, will be lethal with his pace up front with the new ball in The Hundred.
Squad: Chris Woakes, Dom Sibley, Moeen Ali (c), Pat Brown, Adam Hose, Tom Helm, Benny Howell, Chris Cooke (wk), Liam Livingstone, Tom Abell, Daniel Bell-Drummond, Miles Hammond, Adam Milne, Imran Tahir, Finn Allen, Will Smeed, Dillon Pennington.