With the retention deadline on Tuesday, Hundred sides are fast running out of time to decide which players they will retain and which players will be released back into the auction. Of course, players can also choose to leave. Each team is able to retain up to 10 players. With this in mind, I've highlighted the three domestic players each team should prioritise keeping hold of even at high price brackets. The exception to this is the London Spirit, who I don't think have any players I'd want to keep at all costs, so I've just highlighted three players worth keeping at the right price.
Southern Brave
Tymal Mills
Mills' bowling at the death in last year's competition was superb and for me he is the most important retention in this squad. Death bowling is England's weakest area in my opinion so there are very few players you could replace Mills with in the draft, if any.
Jake Lintott
Lintott was only a wildcard selection for last year's draft but he more than proved his worth during the tournament. His left arm wrist spin is a very rare talent not matched by anybody else in the English domestic player pool to any kind of comparative level and for this reason he is vital to keep.
George Garton
The third priority retention was a much more difficult decision here as Chris Jordan and James Vince are also likely to be retained. However, I went for Garton as Mills is already locked in as a death bowler and I think there are a few batsman in the domestic player pool who could do Vince's role. Garton was brilliant in the Hundred last year, regularly taking wickets with the new ball upfront.
Birmingham Phoenix
Moeen Ali
Moeen is an absolute no brainer to retain even if he wants the highest price bracket. He bowls very good offspin and more importantly is a brilliant left handed batter who comes in during the middle overs, preferring to bat against spin. Somebody who plays this role to such a level is invaluable given that a lot of England's talented batsmen prefer to bat at the top and against pace.
Liam Livingstone
Another obvious pick, Livingstone goes after pace and smashed the most sixes in last year's competition. Also bowls very useful off and leg spin which means if you have him and Moeen you only really need four specialist bowlers.
Benny Howell
Birmingham Phoenix are another team which have a lot of talented players they will wish to retain. However, I've gone for Howell here due to the rare skillset that he offers. His medium pace/ quick spin is unique in the game and he is a very consistent performer in the middle overs. Also offers handy runs at 7 or 8.
Trent Rockets
Samit Patel
This is an obvious one for me as Patel is a middle overs spin hitter and very consistent left arm spinner. I think he is quite often underrated in England and his batting is often not used in his best role by Nottinghamshire but he has proven in franchise competitions overseas he is a quality player.
Alex Hales
Another definite for Trent Rockets here. He's had his issues off the pitch but remains one of the best white ball batters in the country. Hales gets his sides off to a flyer in the powerplay. He played within himself a little too much last year in The Hundred for my liking, so I hope he is given a bit more licence to attack this year.
Luke Wood
This was a tough one between him and Matt Carter, but I've gone for Wood for the reason that I think he has another gear he could go to and become a really top performer. He tends to operate best in the powerplay with the new ball.
Oval Invincibles
Saqib Mahmood
Oval Invincibles are a squad full of talented players but this was still an easy pick. Mahmood offers skills that not many other players do in England, bowling at 90 miles an hour in the powerplay and at the death. His death bowling probably needs a bit of work but he is a player with a high upside.
Reece Topley
Topley impressed me in the West Indies for England last month and if you keep him and Mahmood fit that's a seriously good opening attack for the Invincibles, Topley is also a quality death operator.
Jason Roy
This is an obvious pick, along with Adil Rashid, Liam Livingstone and Moeen Ali, Roy is one of the best players available in the draft (not a Test contracted player). Roy goes after the powerplay with brutal force and has definitely improved his game against spin in the last year to 18 months.
Northern Superchargers
Adil Rashid
The best domestic spinner available in the draft who was brilliant in the Hundred last year, Rashid is definitely worth keeping. I think he's only getting better still as well and at 34 he could still have 5 or 6 years left if you look at Imran Tahir and Fawad Ahmed.
David Willey
Willey offers you a lot of different skills. He's great at getting wickets with the new ball, he is a good option as a pinch hitter to open or bat in the middle order to take down spin and he's also a captaincy option.
Harry Brook
Brook had a breakthrough year and showed his skills with a PSL hundred recently. Brook was the highlight of the batting unit for the Superchargers and he is capable of scoring all around the ground. I don't think it will be long until he's a regular in the England white ball teams.
Manchester Originals
Matt Parkinson
Quality domestic leg spinners are like gold dust to their squads and Parkinson is the second best available after Rashid. I think he is still improving too and the Old Trafford surface suits him perfectly.
Joe Clarke
Another one of the country's best young batsmen and he had a quality Big Bash this winter. If rumours are to be believed, Clarke is likely to leave Manchester which would be a massive blow to them.
Phil Salt
Salt is a great pace hitter and would be a definite retention for me. The only thing is, I'd like Manchester to pair him with a spin hitter at the top, as his work against the slower bowling does require some work.
Welsh Fire
Ben Duckett
Duckett is an unusual but effective batsman as he very rarely scores runs straight down the ground. He excels against spin in the middle overs and I think is the best player in this team who doesn't have a test deal.
Tom Banton
Banton has had a mixed couple of years since his breakout year but at his best he is very capable of taking an attack apart, I think there is a lot more to come from him so he would definitely be worth retaining.
David Payne
Payne's form for Gloucestershire saw him earn selection for England this winter. He is exceptional with the new ball and for this reason he would be worth keeping.
London Spirit
Dan Lawrence
Spirit had a very poor year and Lawrence's unavailability did contribute to this I believe. His t20 record isn't brilliant, but I do think he can improve on this as he has all the shots to play well in the shorter formats. Also a very useful match up option with the ball.
Mason Crane
Crane was one of the better performers for the Spirit last year and I would definitely be interested in retaining the leg spinner at the right price.
Brad Wheal
Wheal was a bit of a surprise package in the Hundred and performed better than I expected him to. I think he would definitely be worth keeping at the right price, although anything over £50,000 might be too much.
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