Clarke and Salt up for the Originals

JOE Clarke and Phil Salt have been re-signed by the Manchester Originals for the inaugural season of The Hundred.

The pair were drafted last year for what was due to be the opening campaign of the ECB’s new flagship competition.

However, the tournament was cancelled due to the pandemic, and organisers are hoping it will go ahead this year.

England ace Jos Buttler has been announced as the Emirates Old Traffordbase side’s ‘icon’ player already. And now Clarke and Salt have been confirmed as joining him. Nottinghamshire batsman Clarke was drafted for £40,000 last year, while Sussex’s Salt was picked for £100,000.

“I’m really pleased to re-sign for Manchester Originals,” said Salt, who has been playing in Australia’s Big Bash with Adelaide.

My family are from Manchester and I’m a big Manchester City fan so I was always very keen to make sure that I stayed with the team.

“I’ve been lucky enough to get more experience around the world since I got drafted, including the Big Bash this winter, which will hopefully stand me in good stead for The Hundred this summer.”

The Originals are still hoping to have their top pick, Lancashire captain Dane Vilas, however, due to the ending of the Kolpak regulations after Brexit, he will now have to be considered as an overseas signing.

In the women’s event, South Africa pair Lizelle Lee and Mignon du Preez will join Lancashire’s Kate Cross in the Originals side.

Lee and Du Preez have more than 350 international appearances between them.

They will be joined by a quartet of domestic players with Danielle Collins, Alice Dyson, Cordelia

Griffith and Hannah Jones all re-signing.