This year's Hundred is less than a week away from kicking off on Wednesday 3rd August with champions Southern Brave taking on Welsh Fire the opening match. Ahead of the competition, this is my assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the eight sides. Before I assess each team's chances, this is how I think the sides may line up to begin the tournament:
Southern Brave
Last Season- Winners
Coach- Mahela Jayawardene
Captain- James Vince
Overseas players:
Southern Brave have packed their batting with overseas stars this year, with world class overseas opener Quinton de Kock joined by Tim David, Finn Allen and Marcus Stoinis. All 4 are particularly strong against pace bowling with de Kock striking at 145 against pace since 2020 and averaging 32 and David striking at an incredible 179 and averaging 30 in the same time period. Stoinis meanwhile, strikes at 143 with an average of 30 against pace since 2020 and Allen scores at 184 with an average of 32 since the start of 2020.
Against spin, all four remain good players but their records do decline slightly. de Kock has a noted weakness against offspin whilst opposition captains would be advised to try leg spin against the likes of David, Stoinis and Allen.
Domestic stars:
James Vince is the current holder of both the T20 Blast and the Hundred and he remains one of the outstanding captains in the country. The former England batter has been in typically outstanding form in the Blast this year for Hampshire, scoring 678 runs in 16 games at a strike rate of 146 and he will provide a classy touch alongside the brutality of the likes of Stoinis, Allen and David.
Chris Jordan and Tymal Mills were brilliant in last year's Hundred at closing out innings and this will be their roles again this year. Jordan has bowled very well for England of late and Brave will be hoping he carries this form on. Mills has had a poor time of things since the T20 World Cup going at 9.82 runs an over this calendar year so it will be interesting to see if he can recapture his form during the Hundred.
Jake Lintott is a player who is going from strength to strength in T20 cricket, taking 22 wickets in 15 games during this season's Blast. He will once again be the lead spinner in this lineup.
Weaknesses
Bowling attack depth- Above I highlighted the issues Tymal Mills has had of late and George Garton who bowled well in the powerplay last year, has unfortunately struggled with Long Covid this summer. Garton has taken just one wicket in seven matches going at almost 12 runs an over. If he does not recapture his form, Brave will turn to Michael Hogan or one of the extra spinners. Hogan has had a good year but represents a clear downgrade whilst Dan Moriarty has struggled this year at Surrey to get overs. Rehan Ahmed is an exciting option and I'd be intrigued to see how he goes, but it could be too much to ask from a 17 year old too early.
Domestic middle order options- Last year's final hero Ross Whiteley has scored just 231 runs in 16 innings this year striking at 132 with an average of 16.5 and his form must be a concern coming into this competition. In addition, Alex Davies has averaged just 17 with a strike rate of 131 this summer. Whilst Joe Weatherley has averaged a bit more with 27, his strike rate is just 130 which is a little on the low side. Overall, Southern Brave will need a massive improvement from the 3 at the higher level of the Hundred to do well this year.
Birmingham Phoenix
Last season- Runners Up
Coach- Daniel Vettori
Captain- Moeen Ali
Overseas players:
Matthew Wade should be a good option for the Phoenix at the top of the order as although he struggled in the IPL, the lower standard of domestic spin and flatter wickets should mean he has a successful tournament. Wade strikes at 163 against pace since 2020, so will be a good option in the powerplay.
Adam Milne was the star overseas player in last year's Hundred, finishing as the leading wicket taker with 12. However, his availability for this year's comp is shrouded in doubt due to injury and so it may be one to watch.
Imran Tahir is a proven performer all around the world and lit up last year's competition with a hat trick. Despite being an elder statesman of the game, there is no sign that his performances are declining at all.
Kane Richardson has not been seen in English domestic cricket before but has a good record over the last couple of years around the world, taking 62 wickets in 44 innings at an economy of 8.17, which is very good considering he often bowls at the death of the innings. Richardson appears to be good cover for Milne who is likely to miss a lot of the competition.
Domestic stars:
It's difficult to pick just four with this squad but Will Smeed has burst onto the scene globally over the past 18 months and stands out as a star. Smeed could push for international honours in the near future with the form of Jason Roy and another strong Hundred could be huge for him now.
Moeen Ali and Liam Livingstone are worth talking about together in what they offer as a multi dimensional package. They offer both overs of spin and clean hitting with the former one of the best spin hitters in the world and the latter one of the best pace hitters. Both were outstanding last year with Livingstone hitting the most sixes and scoring the most runs in the competition.
Bizarrely not even tried by England in limited over formats, Benny Howell is a vital cog in the Phoenix wheel which has so many strong pace off the ball options. Howell's multitude of variations have been successful in every competition he's been given the chance to play and I was really disappointed to not be able to see him given a crack at the IPL whilst with Punjab Kings.
Weaknesses:
Domestic seam attack- With injuries to Olly Stone, Chris Woakes and Matt Fisher it perhaps isn't surprising this is a weak spot. Of course, it remains to be seen who replaces Stone but there aren't too many strong candidates left. Tom Helm really struggled last year going for 168 runs in 82 balls and he hasn't had a strong Blast this year either, so it represents a gamble bringing him back for the Phoenix. In addition, Henry Brookes hasn't got a brilliant t20 record either going at 9.39 an over this season and 8.98 over his career. It might be that Kane Richardson plays ahead of Matthew Wade with Chris Benjamin keeping as Mouseley, Hammond and Abell represent better batting options than the bowling reserves Phoenix have.
Trent Rockets
Last season- 3rd
Coach- Andy Flower
Captain- Lewis Gregory
Overseas players:
Colin Munro has been a regular on the franchise circuit for many years and will be available for the full competition which is always a massive bonus for teams. His strike rate looks a bit low in 2022 at 128 and he will need to improve on that for the Hundred. It's worth emphasising that this is perhaps lower as Worcestershire, his side in the Blast, were frequently in poor positions in matches. He provides a good option against leg spin, striking at 146 against it since 2020 so provides a decent counterbalance to the rest of the right hand heavy top order.
Rashid Khan is an absolute superstar and along with Jasprit Bumrah and Jos Buttler would be the top pick for any T20 or Hundred side picking from scratch. He'll probably only play the last few games with Tabraiz Shamsi covering as overseas until then. Without the star pedigree of Rashid, Shamsi is a strong replacement for the Hundred and I'd expect him to perform well for the Rockets.
Daniel Sams is an okay addition but it doesn't really inspire me and I don't think he's good enough to lead a Hundred attack, which he will be asked to do with a sub par seam attack. An economy of 8.6 in 34 games this calendar year and an average of 30 is okay, but nothing to get you out of your seat. His batting power helps, but Rockets already have a number of bowlers offering batting ability and I think they could have used this pick better.
Marchant De Lange had a really impressive Hundred last year and this is the reason the Rockets have retained him as he has shown little in other T20 competitions since to merit this. He is the kind of player who can travel the distance and I'd be surprised if he can mirror his performances from last year.
Domestic stars:
Alex Hales is a terrific player at this level and although he had a fairly lean Hundred last year, you would expect him to flourish. I felt at times last year he was batting within himself striking at just 132 with a top score of 40. I'd rather he was given a free reign to express himself and go after the bowlers, particularly with how deep this batting lineup is.
Dawid Malan is an interesting player, in that his England record far exceeds his performances for his other teams. Malan appears to thrive when given a chance at a higher level so it will be interesting to see how he does in the Hundred.
Samit Patel is a vital player in this team with both bat and ball and I love what he brings to a team. His batting does appear to be on the decline however, striking at just 115 in 19 matches this year. He remains a canny operator with the ball though.
Tom Kohler Cadmore has had a terrific T20 blast this season averaging 39.60 and striking at 139. At times as a Yorkshire fan, I think he reins himself in too much and could play even more aggressively but there's been notable times that he has cut loose this year, particularly in his 77 at Headingley against Lancashire. I expect he'll keep wicket in this side given the form of Tom Moores the other candidate.
Weaknesses:
Middle order batting- I think they lack middle order batting, with their six main batters all normally batting in the top three Dawid Malan, Iain Cockbain, Alex Hales, Colin Munro, Joe Root and Tom Kohler Cadmore. Whoever bat at 4 and 5 will be out of position unless they promote an out of form with the bat Samit Patel or select Tom Moores who despite early promise in his career, has never really kicked on. Lewis Gregory has been out of form with the bat also and struggles against spin.
Seam bowling depth- This would really concern me as I think this is a very weak spot. I think Sams is fine but De Lange could be a poor option given recent form as highlighted above. Luke Fletcher has struggled this year and was dropped by Nottinghamshire whilst Ben Mike has bowled well this year but this is the first year he has done so in the Blast. Lewis Gregory is a poor t20 bowling option with a career economy of 9 an over and rarely bowling in the powerplay or at the death. Sam Cook has had a decent year going at 8.13 an over, but it's a step up for a player who hasn't played any franchise cricket previously.
Oval Invincibles
Last season- 4th
Coach- Tom Moody
Captain- Sam Billings
Overseas players:
The signing of Rilee Rossouw has aged superbly following an outstanding Blast for Somerset scoring 623 runs at a breathtaking strike rate of 192. He simply smashes leg spin, is very good against pace and looks to be the perfect addition to this Invincibles squad.
Mohammed Hasnain is an interesting addition as he has just returned from a ban for his bowling action. It will be interesting to see if he is still the same bowler as before his action change. Early signs are positive from his Worcestershire performances.
Sunil Narine's return is no surprise but again this is a serious signing for the Invincibles. He had a great Blast and IPL this year and he will again be one of the best spinners in this competition. His batting is also a bonus and adds great flexibility to the lineup.
Hilton Cartwright's addition raised eyebrows to a lot of people though he had a good Big Bash last year and he will be available for the entire tournament. His career strike rate is a little low but since 2021 he's striking at 147 which is a sizeable improvement.
Domestic stars:
Sam Curran not being with the Test squad currently is a massive boost for the squad and he will provide a quality bowling and batting option. Curran is capable of playing multiple different roles with both bat and ball, which is what makes him so valuable and is particularly strong at hitting left arm spin.
Will Jacks has excelled this year with the bat and ball and will be vital for any success this side will have. Jacks since 2021 is striking at 155 and averaging 31 which is exceptional. He is a candidate to put pressure on for a England spot in the near future.
Jason Roy has had a lean time for England of late but clearly has the quality to still perform at this level. A good performance in the Hundred could be vital for him now as failure to deliver will raise the pressure on his spot in the World T20 side.
Reece Topley has come of age this year in England's white ball sides and is with the current fitness situation of other bowlers, England's go to man. In the absence of Saqib Mahmood and with Tom Curran only just returning to fitness, a lot will rest on Topley's ability to deliver.
Weaknesses:
Domestic spin options: Obviously Invincibles have Sunil Narine but the other spin options they have are a little weak, particularly with Narine missing the end of the tournament. Danny Briggs is a solid performer but he's weaker than many spinners in this competition whilst Nathan Sowter has lost form this summer as well as his place in the Middlesex side.
General depth: I like the first team for the Invincibles, but I'm not convinced by the depth options. I like Jack Haynes and he showed his obvious potential at times this season but the likes of Pat Brown, Jack Leaning and Nathan Sowter aren't options they would want to call on too often in the Hundred.
Northern Superchargers
Last season- 5th
Coach- James Foster
Captain- Faf Du Plessis
Overseas players:
The overseas players is where I think the Superchargers have done their weakest business. Whilst Faf Du Plessis is averaging 36 since 2020, a strike rate of 135 is a little low for a player who often bats a lot of the innings. He'll need to improve this at Headingley, the fastest scoring ground in T20 since January 2021 in world cricket. I think they could have prioritised an explosive batter instead such as Finn Allen. His inprint on this side as captain is clear however, with so many players he has played with previously in the team.
Dwayne Bravo is one such player who has played with Du Plessis over a number of years and for me he is the best of this overseas group. Last year Superchargers had a destructive batting unit but really lacked death bowling. Bravo should go a long way to rectifying this, Bravo has taken 106 wickets at an average of 21 since 2020 in T20 cricket with an economy of 7.97, which shows there are no signs he is on a decline as a bowler. His batting however, is on the decline so shouldn't be relied on to contribute too much.
Wahab Riaz is a signing I don't know what to make of. Riaz has an okay record in the past three years taking 94 wickets in 75 games at an average of 24 and economy of 8.46. These numbers are significantly worse than Bravo's and he hasn't played in the IPL in that period which would likely weaken these numbers. I do feel there were better options for Superchargers than a 37 year old Riaz, who has declined from his peak.
David Wiese feels like a recency biased selection, based on a superb PSL with both bat and ball. I don't hate this addition, but I do think Superchargers could've found somebody better and with a higher ceiling than Wiese.
Domestic stars:
One of the breakout stars of last year's competition, Harry Brook has gone from strength to strength this year. The Superchargers will be hoping there aren't any batting injuries in the Test team, as it looks like Brook will be available for most of the Hundred otherwise as long as he is released from the Test squad to play rather than carry drinks. Brook is a 360 degree player and will be key to any success this team has.
David Willey is a three dimensional cricketer, offering a strong top order batting option if needed, plenty of powerplay wickets and an outstanding fielder. He bowled really well in this year's Blast, taking 13 wickets in 9 games at an average of 18.69. He shouldn't be used bowling at the death however, which is what happened a couple of times in last year's Hundred.
I really like the domestic core the Superchargers have this year and none are better in their role than Adil Rashid. Rashid's form has actually dipped this year, with cricket analysis company CricViz highlighting he's got his worst form with the ball in all T20 since 2013 this year, with his performances particularly low for Yorkshire in the Blast. I'd expect Rashid to come back strongly in the Hundred however.
Adam Hose has had a brilliant season for Birmingham Bears in the Blast this year and looks a bit of a bargain at £50K in the Hundred auction. A good spin hitter is exactly what this squad needed after last year's struggles in this department and Hose fits the bill perfectly.
Weaknesses:
Seam bowling depth- With the injury to Brydon Carse and international callup for Matty Potts, Superchargers are short of seam bowlers. As highlighted with other teams above, there are limited options left in the domestic pool for quick bowlers to improve the squad. A spin heavy tactic might be the way Superchargers go with any more injuries, with Callum Parkinson and Roelof Van Der Merwe both capable of performing well.
Batting depth- After Ben Stokes' withdrawal, there is no cover for the top six batters and so if Harry Brook gets called by England or Michael Pepper struggles with the step up in quality, there aren't a lot of alternatives. I'm not convinced you need all of Ben Raine, Jordan Clark and David Wiese on the bench and the Superchargers would have been better off having another specialist batter in the squad instead.
Manchester Originals
Last season- 6th
Coach- Simon Katich
Captain- Jos Buttler
Overseas players:
Despite not playing the full season, it's very exciting to see the likes of Andre Russell playing on British shores for the first time in a while. There's not too much I can say about Russell that hasn't already been said but it will be very fun watching him finishing for the Originals.
Wanindu Hasaranga's stock keeps rising and is yet another X factor overseas signing for the Originals. Also capable of batting in the lower middle order, Hasaranga has a brilliant 112 wickets in his last 74 matches at an economy of 6.5 an over. Even though he can't play every match, he's a wonderful addition to the competition.
Sean Abbott is a less high calibre name than the first two but offers a reliable skillset. He has limited experience of success outside of the Big Bash which is potentially a concern but he has been a consistent source of wickets in that competition.
Ashton Turner is a weird one for me, he's a player who always looks talented when you see him bat but the stats don't back up that he's a great player. A strike rate of 137 is just okay and an average of 21 is pretty disappointing for the role that he plays for his side.
Domestic stars:
I can't go through this without mentioning Jos Buttler who is likely to captain and play every game. There's not much more to say than he is simply the best batter in this competition.
The Hundred feels like a massive opportunity for Phil Salt to guarantee a seat on the plane to Australia over the winter. In particular, a couple of strong performances against spin at Old Trafford would be huge for him.
This is a big competition for Matt Parkinson who reacted to being dropped by England after a poor series against India with a strong performance on Finals Day. This is the best chance the Lancashire leg spinner has to try and nail down the backup spinner role for the World T20 this year.
Richard Gleeson has performed really well in the T20 Blast this year and will be vital at leading the bowling attack for Manchester Originals. Gleeson was the leading wicket taker in the Blast this year.
Weaknesses:
Lack of left handers- Whilst Laurie Evans is good against the ball spinning away from him, the only actual left hander Manchester have to counter attack left arm spin and leg spin is Tom Lammonby, who much prefers pace on the ball. I don't really get signing Ashton Turner ahead of a left handed spin option for this role. It's a particular concern at Old Trafford, where spin tends to be king.
Overseas availability- It will be vital to replace Andre Russell and Wanindu Hasaranga towards the end of the competition with adequate replacements. Both of their gun overseas disappearing at the back end is an obvious concern and Manchester will want to have most of the group stage work done by the time they depart.
Welsh Fire
Last season- 7th
Coach- Gary Kirsten
Captain- Ben Duckett (TBC)
Overseas players:
I'll start with the most notable addition which is that of Adam Zampa. Zampa is one of the best spinners going around and it's a real coup for the competition that he will be playing this year. It can be tough for spinners to bowl well to the short straight boundaries at Cardiff but I think Zampa will be up to the challenge.
Naseem Shah is an intriguing signing with not much positive T20 experience behind him but all the raw talent to perform at this format. I think whatever happens with Naseem this year it'll be fun.
David Miller has had something of a renaissance in the last 18 months after a difficult couple of years. The South African batter will add real quality at the death and a vital left handed option along with Ben Duckett. I think they have one of the strongest batting lineups in the competition.
Noor Ahmad has had a great start to his T20 career, going at just 7.30 runs per over so far. The 17 year old will probably be backup for Zampa for the majority of the competition but may be vital towards the backend when the Australian links up with his national team.
Domestic stars:
A lot of people have been touting Ben Duckett for a spot in the England ODI and T20 squads following the retirement of Eoin Morgan. A strong competition here could throw Duckett right to the forefront of the selector's minds. Duckett tends to hit square of the wicket primarily which could be an issue at Cardiff which has long boundaries square and shorter straight, but it will be a good test of his range of shots.
It's also a massive tournament for Joe Clarke who had a very underwhelming season in all formats, which has seen him fall down the England pecking order. The Nottinghamshire batter has to perform in the Hundred to keep himself in the England conversation.
Another batter who has slipped down the pecking order for England is Tom Banton and he'll be hoping his maiden Championship hundred can kickstart a strong end to the summer. The Somerset wicket-keeper is capable of blistering innings at his best, but critics argue these have been too few and far between.
In a fairly weak domestic seam attack, David Payne will need to improve on his performances in the Hundred last season. Payne recently made his England debut showing his pedigree in T20 but in last year's Hundred the Gloucestershire left-armer took just six wickets at an average of 37 and batters scored at a strike rate of 177 against him.
Weaknesses:
Form of star batters- Both Banton and Clarke are struggling for form of late in T20 and this isn't an ideal situation. Of course, both are capable of transforming this and performing to their very high maximum ability.
Domestic seam attack- I'm not overly convinced by the seam options other than Payne. I like the addition of George Scrimshaw as I think his into-the-wicket tactics suit the Fire's home ground, but he is still very raw. Ryan Higgins is an odd selection for me, I don't think he's up to the level of the Hundred and Jake Ball has been very expensive in recent years, going at 9.19 an over in T20 since 2020.
No sixth bowler- The lack of a sixth bowler amongst almost all of the first choice Fire batters is also a concern, with Matt Critchley or Josh Cobb likely to be called upon for 20 balls a game it's far from ideal.
London Spirit
Last season- 8th
Coach-Trevor Bayliss
Captain- Eoin Morgan
Overseas stars-
Of all the overseas stars this year in the competition, the one I am most looking forward to watching is Glenn Maxwell. The Australian is a destructive player of spin and plays an amazing mix of shots. If he has the competition he is capable of, you'd expect the Spirit to be much higher up the league than last year. He will be replaced by Josh Inglis when he departs and Inglis can slot into the same role when Maxwell departs to attack the spinners.
Former West Indies captain Kieron Pollard is one of the greats of the T20 game, but there are concerns he may be on the decline after a poor IPL season in 2022. A strike rate of 122 in 25 games in all T20 this calendar year is certainly a cause for worry for the side and they will need him to regain his best form to get into the knockouts.
Nathan Ellis has been selected as a replacement for Riley Meredith and I think this is a solid signing. 15 wickets in 13 games at an economy of just 6.87 during the T20 blast is good going, even factoring in playing on a low scoring ground in the Ageas Bowl. Ellis is a death specialist too and an economy of 8.41 in this phase of the game since 2020 is pretty strong.
Ben McDermott had a great Big Bash last year scoring the most runs with 577 at a healthy strike rate of 154. The wicket-keeper bat had a decent Blast campaign for Hampshire and is good cover in this squad. He could even come in for Kieron Pollard if the latter continues his slump in form.
Domestic stars-
It will be interesting to see how Eoin Morgan performs after retiring from international cricket due to a sustained drop in form. Morgan struggled during last year's Hundred to score many runs and it is vital for this squad that he returns to form this year.
Dan Lawrence has been a bit unlucky to lose his Test spot with England, falling behind both Ollie Pope and Harry Brook due to a hamstring injury. It does at least give him a chance to showcase his limited overs skills, which he has in abundance.
I think Jordan Thompson is often badly misused by Yorkshire in T20 with the bat, often seen as a last resort if the main batters fail or just given a few balls at the end of the innings to swing. When he was promoted up the order on Finals Day ahead of Will Fraine to take advantage of the spin matchup he flourished, hitting 50 in just 18 balls. Thompson can be so destructive and he showed this last year. I expect him to be a much less utilised bowler for Spirit than he is at Yorkshire due to their considerably stronger attack.
Often overlooked by supporters, Liam Dawson helps to provide a decent balance to the side. He is part of a four pronged Hampshire lineup, which will help them all to know their roles.
Weaknesses:
Spin depth- Liam Dawson is a strong option but apart from that I worry about the Spirit's options. Mason Crane has had a tough year, going at 9.38 an over and only taking 12 wickets in 14 games all the while performing on generally one of the best places to bowl spin in England, the Ageas Bowl. If Crane doesn't work out, there's not much in reserve. If I were Spirit, I'd look to find a spin alternative that can come into the squad when Zak Crawley goes to play for England. They have also got Glenn Maxwell as a matchup option, but I think they need another leg spinner.
Batting form- Whilst recency bias can go too far in selecting a squad, there aren't really any batters in form in the squad except Ben McDermott, who may well be on the bench. Morgan and Pollard have struggled for a while now and it might be too optimistic to expect they will return to their form. Zak Crawley and Adam Rossington have struggled for runs this year whilst Dan Lawrence hasn't played a lot, although he has performed well in the five games he did play.
* Stats from ESPNCricinfo.com
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