£125k Smith leads Hundred draft

A total of 570 players have put their names forward to be drafted for next year’s inaugural season of The Hundred, with Australian pair Steve Smith and David Warner among those with the heftiest price tags.

The eight franchises have already filled three positions in their squad – one centrally contracted England Test player and two local “icons” apiece – and will choose another 12 during Sunday’s televised draft.

Of those, only three can be overseas players – meaning just 24 are due to be picked up out of 239 foreign stars who have thrown their names into the hat.

Only six carry the top tier £125,000 reserve, with Ashes adversaries Smith and Warner joined by compatriot Mitchell Starc, West Indian batsman Chris Gayle, Sri Lanka veteran Lasith Malinga and South African quick Kagiso Rabada.

Another 17 have entered at a minimum of £100,000 with further brackets between £40,000 and £75,000 and a large field carrying no reserve.

There are 331 domestic players hoping to land a deal, with 19 opting to set a base price.

World Cup winning seamers Mark Wood and Liam Plunkett are available at £60,000 and £50,000 respectively, with Liam Livingstone, Samit Patel and Joe Denly joining Wood in the higher bracket.

Head coaches will have 100 seconds to make each selection, recruiting two names per round until the rosters are complete.

The order of the first picks is set, with Nottingham-based Trent Rockets going first and Birmingham Phoenix up last.