Hundred Retentions assessed
London Spirit
Test players- Zak Crawley, Mark Wood
Price points left- £125K, £125K, £75K, £75K, £50K, £50K
Overall retention score- 7/10
Glenn Maxwell- £100K
8/10- Maxwell is a World Class performer and there’s not much else to add here as everybody reading knows his quality, but I can’t put him at more than an 8 due to doubts over his availability for the full tournament.
Eoin Morgan- £100K
5/10- Morgan hasn’t contributed significantly very often with the bat for his teams in the last couple of years and is widely seen as a player in decline. He remains a good captain and knows the conditions well having played at Lords a lot, but I just feel this £100K could have been spent better.
Mason Crane- £60K
8/10- Crane is one of the best domestic leg spinners around and that is a rare skillset in English cricket, which is shown by the number of overseas spinners in last year’s competition. He is good value at £60K as I think he’d have gone for more at the draft.
Dan Lawrence- £60K
7/10- Lawrence is a good addition at this price, even though his T20 record isn’t as strong as you would expect. There is clear potential with him and his performances in the longer format show he has the wide range of shots necessary for the shorter game. Kept him rated as a 7 as there is a strong chance he will miss games during the Test summer.
Adam Rossington- £40K
7/10- Rossington had a strong Hundred last year and represents good value here. Not necessarily a starter for the Spirit, but a good option to cover for Zak Crawley when he is in the Test side. Rossington is known for getting his sides off to a quick start.
Ravi Bopara- £40K
3/10- I feel this is a selection on name and what he has done rather than what he is likely to do in the future. Bopara has really struggled in the last couple of years, striking at 113.38 in 33 games during 2021. Given his age and this run of performances, I find it unlikely he’ll re-find his old form.
Blake Cullen- £30K
8/10- I really like this retention as Cullen has a lot of potential, he bowls with good pace and swings the ball. He may well have gone for more than £30K in a draft. Very much a pick with one eye on the future.
Brad Wheal- £30K
8/10- Wheal had a really good Hundred last year and to keep him at £30K is an absolute bargain. I am sure he would have attracted interest in a higher price band if he was in the draft.
Welsh Fire
Test players- Jonny Bairstow/ Ollie Pope
Price points left £125K, £125K, £100K, £75K, £60K, £50K, £30K
Overall retention score- 5/10
Ben Duckett- £100K
8/10- A hefty price tag for Duckett but I think he more than justifies it as a player with a rare middle order skillset and who will almost certainly be available for the full tournament. A good player of spin who predominantly scores square of the wicket, he would be a perfect foil for a big hitting right hander who prefers pace, of which there are lots in the English game.
Jake Ball- £75K
5/10- I think Ball is a very effective operator and he is very useful to each squad who has him. However, I feel £75K is a bit high to be paying for him given the quality of other players at this price band.
David Payne- £60K
7/10- Payne is very good with the new ball and even made an England squad earlier this year. He is a smart retention.
Leus Du Plooy- £50K
5/10- I think Du Plooy would have been worth signing in a draft but not as a £50K pick, I simply think there are better players at that price.
Ryan Higgins- £40K
4/10- I don’t really get this one, Higgins is a very good First Class cricketer but I don’t see him as a player who offers a particularly strong skillset to any T20 sides at this level. He is very much a jack of all trades master of none here.
Matt Critchley- £40K
7/10- Critchley offers a strong death hitter option and also a useful backup spinner when used correctly. He didn’t have the greatest Hundred last year, but I think he was misused at times. He could easily slot in at five or six and be a sixth bowler option.
Josh Cobb- £30K
6/10- I can take or leave this retention. He represents a decent top order batsman and a useful matchup spin option. I’d have expected him to be taken in the £30K category at a draft.
Manchester Originals
Test players- Jos Buttler/ Ollie Robinson
Price points left- £125K, £125K, £100K, £75K, £60K
Overall retention score- 5/10
Phil Salt- £100K
6/10- I really enjoy watching Salt play, however, I have reservations about him being in this side at that price. Old Trafford is normally well known for taking a lot of spin with long boundaries to protect. Salt is a much better player of pace so against teams who might field three specialist spinners at Old Trafford, he may struggle. Joe Clarke would have been a better £100K option if he’d have been interested in staying. Nonetheless, he is a very good player so will be dangerous for this Manchester side.
Matt Parkinson- £75K
9/10- This retention just makes so much sense and £75K is a very good price. As noted above, Old Trafford is known for its turning conditions and Parkinson is the second best domestic spinner after Adil Rashid. I expect him to be the key man for Manchester who other sides try to see off.
Jamie Overton- £60K
7/10- I see real potential in Jamie Overton as a T20 finisher with the bat and he has excelled in the Abu Dhabi T10 for a couple of years, although he hasn’t quite performed in England to the same level as of yet. I wouldn’t be looking for too many overs bowling from him however, given his high economy rate of 9.48.
Tom Hartley- £50K
8/10- Hartley was brilliant in the Hundred last year and he deservedly goes up a couple of price brackets. Hartley is capable of bowling in the powerplay which makes him invaluable to a Manchester side who will be looking to bowl 12 overs or more of spin at home.
Tom Lammonby- £50K
5/10- Lammonby would be a better signing for another team than as a retention for Manchester I think. Lammonby is better against pace and is great at exploiting the Taunton short boundaries. At Old Trafford he will face a lot of spin with long boundaries and so would’ve been better at say Northern Superchargers or Trent Rockets I believe.
Colin Ackermann- £40K
8/10- I think this is a bargain for a very accomplished middle order batsman, who is capable of playing spin well in the middle overs and I think is still improving. He also offers a spin option as a third or fourth spinner, particularly useful at home.
Wayne Madsen- £40K
7/10- Madsen has been Derbyshire’s star performer in all formats for a number of years and represents a good investment at £40K. He did miss a lot of last season however, so it will be interesting to see how he recovers this time around.
Fred Klaasen- £30K
6/10- Klaasen showed glimpses of quality in last year’s Hundred, taking 5 wickets in 4 games. He provides a left arm option in the squad. Older than I thought at 29 however, so the question is if he has the ability to go to the next level at this stage of his career.
Calvin Harrison- £30K
8/10- I think Harrison is a really good signing at this price point. Offers a genuine third spinner and he can bat a bit. At only 23, there is a strong potential for him to improve with spinners not typically reaching their peak until their 30s.
Northern Superchargers
Test Player- Ben Stokes
Price points left- £125K, £75K, £60K, £40K, £30K
Overall retention score- 7/10
Adil Rashid- £125K
9/10- Even at the top price point, Rashid is a brilliant signing as the best domestic bowler available in the draft.
David Willey- £100K
8/10- Willey is one of the best new ball operator’s in the domestic circuit, although he can be a bit one dimensional with the ball. His batting however, was used very well last year by the Superchargers as a pinch hitter which makes him a good option, even though I’m sure Superchargers thought about not retaining him at that high price bracket.
Faf Du Plessis- £100k
6/10- Du Plessis will likely captain the Superchargers but I’m not sure he is really what the team needs as a batsman. Headingley was the flattest pitch in the Hundred last year and Du Plessis typically plays an anchor role for teams who play on more tricky surfaces. Anchors are also less effective in the Hundred than T20 due to the less balls teams have to work with whilst retaining 10 wickets. Faf also prefers pace to spin which is very typical for this Superchargers side and this caused a lot of problems for them last season.
Harry Brook- £75K
8/10- Brook had a breakout year last season and has continued to do well this winter in the Pakistan Super League. A rare talent who almost exclusively plays in the middle order, Brook will be the player this Superchargers side can build around.
Brydon Carse- £60K
8/10- Carse offers a lot of potential to be a T20 star as he offers genuine pace and his hard hitting down the order was underused by Superchargers last year. Even though his T20 numbers aren’t superb, there is plenty of potential here and I like this retention.
Matthew Potts- £50K
4/10- I’m not saying Potts isn’t a useful T20 operator in the powerplay, but £50K seems an awful lot for him, particularly when David Willey is already locked in at £100K and does the same powerplay role but to a higher standard.
John Simpson- £50K
6/10- Simpson is a weird one to judge as based off the majority of his T20 career, he’s a £30K or £40K at best signing. However, he had a remarkable impact on the pitch for the Northern Superchargers last year, so if he can repeat that, he’s a bargain.
Adam Lyth- £40K
7/10- I think Lyth was overpriced last year but this time around is a good retention at £40K. He’s been very good at getting Yorkshire off to flying starts in T20 for a number of years so it’s an astute retention in this price band.
Callum Parkinson- £30K
7/10- Parkinson is a smart retention in this price band and he may get more opportunities this year if Superchargers opt to not sign an overseas spinner to replace Mujeeb in the draft.
Oval Invincibles
Test players- Sam Curran, Rory Burns
Price points left- £125K, £60K, £50K, £50K, £40K, £40K
Overall retention score- 8/10
Jason Roy- £125K
9/10- Roy is a quality opening batsman so retaining him at any price is a no brainer for the Invincibles.
Sam Billings- £100K
7/10- Billings is a good retention and he will continue to lead the side as wicket-keeper. As a middle order specialist, he is a very good option to have with the majority of the top domestic batters preferring to bat in the top three. However, I do wonder if he is a touch overpriced at £100K.
Tom Curran- £100K
5/10- It’s not that I don’t think Curran is a good option for this side both with bat and ball, more that £100K seems a high price to pay for him given his indifferent performances over the last couple of years and current long-term injury. It does kind of balance out with Mahmood and Topley in lower price brackets though, as I think they could’ve demanded more elsewhere.
Will Jacks- £75K
8/10- Jacks has a hell of a lot of potential and is absolutely worth this price tag, as one of the brightest young talents in England. Jacks and Roy opening together didn’t go so well last year but if it clicks it could be devastating. Jacks also offers a match up option as an off spinner.
Saqib Mahmood- £75K
9/10- I think Mahmood is the next big thing for England in the T20 format and to get him for £75K is a steal. His death bowling needs a bit of work still but I think he shows potential in that role and he has been exceptional with the new ball for Lancashire and Sydney Thunder.
Reece Topley- £60K
9/10- Given Topley’s performances in the winter, £60K is a great deal, as he would definitely fetch more in a draft. He is better with the new ball than at the death, but is still one of the best death bowlers around on the domestic circuit.
Jordan Cox- £30K
8/10- Cox is a very talented player and performed superbly in the T20 Blast final last year. He is a player with a very high ceiling so to keep him for £30K is a great piece of business.
Nathan Sowter- £30K
7/10- Sowter is a very reliable backup option for this side at £30K and could also provide a third spin option for the Invincibles presuming they bring a couple of overseas spinners in again this year.
Trent Rockets
Test Players- Joe Root, Dawid Malan
Price Points left- £125K, £75K, £75K, £30K
Overall retention score 6/10
Rashid Khan- £125K
9/10- Even if he only plays a handful of games, Rashid is a superstar and it’s great to see him playing domestic cricket in the UK. His batting is often underrated by teams as well, as he’s a very good finisher in short form cricket.
Alex Hales- £100K
8/10- Hales is still one of the best opening batters in English domestic cricket and if not for off-field issues would be a key part of the England T20 and ODI setups.
Lewis Gregory- £100K
3/10- I don’t really understand the thinking with retaining Gregory. He didn’t really play much of a role in the Hundred last year for the team, facing only 83 balls in 9 games and only bowling 25 balls in that period. That’s not a lot of a contribution for someone at this price point whilst his performances since the Hundred haven’t matched the standards he’s had in previous years and teams seem to be exploiting his weaknesses against spin.
Marchant De Lange- £60K
5/10- De Lange had a really good Hundred last year but there’s not much evidence from other T20 tournaments that he is likely to repeat that success over a bigger sample size so I wonder if this is a poor overseas retention.
Luke Wood- £60K
7/10- Wood is a talented bowler and it’s been good to see him getting some exposure over the winter in overseas franchise leagues. He has improved markedly with the new ball in the powerplay but still has work to do with his death bowling if he’s going to be a good option in that phase.
Samit Patel- £50K
8/10- A very underrated cricketer in the domestic game but Patel’s versatility means he is a great option. He can bat anywhere from 4-7 to a good level and bowl anytime in the first 15 overs where matchups allow.
Matt Carter- £50K
7/10- A very reliable and solid performer who enhanced his reputation during last year’s Hundred. Carter is a very skilful operator in the powerplay and during the middle overs, particularly against left handers.
Steven Mullaney- £40K
6/10- Another one I could take or leave as a retention, he offers decent value with both ball and bat. Comes in at about the price bracket I’d value him at but I’m not sure you need both him and Lewis Gregory in the same team.
Sam Cook- £40K
5/10- His record wasn’t bad in the T20 last season but I don’t see a lot of growth value for Cook in short form cricket and I think he might get found out in the Hundred if he is selected regularly due to the pace that he bowls at.
Tom Moores- £30K
7/10- I feel Moores is often a little overrated by cricket followers on social media given his t20 record. However, I do think he’s good value at £30K and certainly offers a decent option in the middle order against spin.
Birmingham Phoenix
Test Player- Chris Woakes
Price points left £125K, £100K, £60K, £50K, £30K
Overall retention score- 8/10
Liam Livingstone- £125K
9/10- Livingstone is simply one of the best talents in England with bat in hand and he was outstanding in last year’s Hundred. Also offers a very decent spin option.
Moeen Ali- £100K
10/10- Another great retention for the Phoenix, especially as they’ve managed to get him at below the top band so they have a first round slot for a quality new player. The best player of spin in England and probably the best domestic off spinner in the Hundred too.
Adam Milne- £75K
8/10- If Milne can have the kind of impact he had last year he’d be a 9/10 but with his fitness always a question mark and slightly weaker impacts in competitions such as the IPL since we’ll have to see if that’s the case. Even so, I still expect him to be amongst the top quick bowlers in the Hundred.
Benny Howell- £75K
8/10- Howell is finally getting the attention his abilities deserve in the last couple of years with a really strong performance in the Hundred and now being picked up in the IPL draft. Phoenix have done really well to retain him at this price point.
Tom Abell- £60K
7/10- Due to injury, Abell was not available for most of last year’s competition but he does have the potential to add a quality middle order option to the Birmingham squad. The only question I’d have is whether they could have got a better batter for the same price.
Will Smeed- £50K
9/10- I’m not sure how they managed to keep Smeed at £50K but it’s an outstanding piece of business for a player who could probably have fetched at least £75K at a draft. He’s only going to get better at his age too, with the next aim for him to improve against spin.
Chris Benjamin- £40K
8/10- Benjamin had quite an impact on the Hundred last year in his first match and is another player who has room to develop. At £40K, he is a good value addition to this squad as a finisher.
Miles Hammond- £40K
5/10- Hammond had a mixed time in the Hundred last year and whilst I don’t hate this retention, I wonder if better players could have been available at the £40K mark. He is another player with a lot of potential and room to improve however.
Henry Brookes- £30K
7/10- I quite like this retention even though Brookes hasn’t really shown his ability consistently in T20 cricket yet. Brookes has the quality to bowl 90 miles an hour which gives him a high ceiling to improve. It may or may not work out for him next season, but he’s a good pick with the future in mind.
Southern Brave
Test player- Jofra Archer
Price points available- £125K, £50K, £30K, £30K
Overall retention score- 9/10
Marcus Stoinis- £125K
7/10- I think Stoinis is a good retention but £125K seems quite a lot for a player of his ability with a number of very good local right-handed opening batsmen in the domestic pool. For example, Joe Clarke, Tom Banton and Tom Kohler-Cadmore are all high quality options in the draft. Therefore, a left handed overseas middle order batter may have been a better option.
James Vince- £100K
8/10- Vince is a quality player and a good leader for the team and it absolutely makes sense to retain him, particularly with him out of the England Test picture for now.
Tymal Mills- £100K
9/10- To me, Mills is the best death bowler in the Hundred with the exception of Jofra Archer when fit, so to retain him at £100K is excellent business.
Chris Jordan- £75K
9/10- Jordan has had his problems of late bowling at the death but he had an exceptional Hundred last year and does tend to perform very well in the T20 Blast too. In the Hundred, he’s a very handy batting option at 7 or 8 and his hitting does seem to have improved of late. Rumours suggest he was offered more money elsewhere which is not surprising, so it is a coup for the Brave to keep him.
George Garton- £75K
8/10- Garton has had a difficult winter in the Big Bash and then for England in the T20 series against the West Indies but I don’t think he was used especially well, particularly in the former competition. Garton was often used in the middle overs and at the death when it is obvious that his speciality is taking wickets with the new ball. Give him this role and I believe he’ll thrive and that’s the role he has for the Brave.
Alex Davies- £60K
7/10- I like Davies and he adapted very well to a slightly unfamiliar position in the middle order during last season’s competition. £60K does seem quite a high price, but they have locked in some quality players at lower price points so it shouldn’t cause too many issues.
Jake Lintott- £60K
9/10- After the impact Lintott had last year, it is natural his price had an increase. I actually thought he might leave looking for £75K elsewhere which would likely have been on offer. His unique skillset would have made him hard to replace in the draft so this is another strong retention.
Tim David- £50K
10/10- I am not really sure how Brave managed to retain David at £50K given how well he has done overseas and there must be a risk he’ll pull out after getting so much in the IPL auction. However, he is fast becoming one of the best finishers in the game and the local domestic talent pool lacks players of his profile.
Ross Whiteley- £40K
8/10- Whiteley is a destructive hitter of pace and did very well during last season’s Hundred. Bowling to him and David at the end of an innings is a terrifying prospect. Whiteley is one of the few players in the English game who are exclusively defined as death hitters so he is definitely worth keeping around.
Craig Overton- £40K
7/10- Overton is a solid purchase at this price and did perform very well for Brave last season. There’s a good chance he’ll get called up for the Test team but at £40K it’s not a great issue if he has to be replaced by somebody else.
