With 100 days to go until this year’s tournament kicks off, Phoebe Graham is looking forward to being a part of it with Manchester Originals and the benefits that the first season of The Hundred had for cricket.
Phoebe Graham is in no doubt that cricket has benefited from The Hundred
The Hundred has revolutionized cricket for the better. It has brought excitement, new fans and given women’s cricket the global platform it needed.
Last year, family names were created. The tournament reached new audiences and inspired our future generations. Jemimah Rodrigues, Liam Livingstone and Danni Wyatt were firmly established as some of the most exciting cricketers in the world. It has become one of the most talked about sporting occasions on the calendar and everyone wants to be a part of it.
This year is going to be very special. The best talents in the world, also known as Australian women, are available and ready to play. Alyssa Healey, Beth Mooney and Ellyse Perry will be the debutantes, while the hundred legends Marchant de Lange and Quinton de Kock have remained.
The composition of the teams looks very different as the players move in search of more opportunities. I’ve moved to the Manchester Originals from Northern Superchargers and I can’t wait for summer to come.
Playing alongside Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone and Deandra Dottin will be an incredible experience. I’m glad I’m on the same team as the mighty Dottin now, since it was no fun bowling at Lord’s!
Besides all the bright lights, fireworks and live music, there has been the serious side of the game, getting used to the rules and tactics. By year two, teams are more aware of how the game plays out, how to build a 100-ball inning, when to use ‘tactical timeout’ and what an ‘par score’ is.
Personally, I have been focusing on hitting strikes and working on my variations to build on last year’s success. Tasha Farrant, leading wicket taker, showed us all the importance of variations and how to tactically stay one step ahead of your opponents.
It was surprising to see how the tournament changed the perception of women’s cricket. She started arguments at home; she made my friends say ‘I think I have cricket now’, ‘it’s exciting to watch’. She brought the men’s and women’s cricket communities together in an authentic way, creating a ‘one club mentality’.
In Lancashire, for the first time, both men and women toured Dubai during pre-season. This was an amazing experience and I’m sure it was created because of the exposure of women’s cricket in The Hundred. I hope that The Hundred will continue to have a profound and positive effect on cricket in general and continue to grow the game as a whole.
I can’t wait to be a part of this year’s Hundred and I hope it continues to inspire more girls and boys to play the game we all love.
