English Cricket

What is the Salary of a player in The Hundred (Men’s) in England?

by Nitesh Mathur | Aug 1, 2023 | Finances & Cricket, The Hundred

Today we will discuss the salary of a player in The Hundred in England.

Ever since its inception, the Hundred has threatened to either change the landscape of English cricket or break County Cricket from the core.

However, there’s one question on every cricket fan’s mind: just how much do these players make?

The Hundred Cricketer Salary – By the Numbers

The average salary of a player in the Hundred (Men’s Competition) is £58,823.53 or $75,440.29 (maximum 17 players in squad with a purse of £1,000,000 or $1,282,485).
The average salary for an overseas Hundred (men’s) cricketer is £80,400 or $103,112 (£2,010,000 or $2,577,795 for 25 players). On the other hand, the average salary for a domestic player in the Hundred (men’s) is £53,964 or $69208 (£5,990,000 or $7,682,085 purse for a total of 111 spots, including centrally contracted & wildcard players).
The captains get a £10,000 ($12,825) bonus. Hence, the maximum a player in the Men’s Hundred can earn is £135,000 ($173,135), while the minimum is £30,000 ($38,475).
Compared to other leagues, The Hundred ranks at #5 in the richest cricket leagues (according to average salaries).

The Hundred – How Much Was Each Draft Pick?

The draft picks ranged from £30,000 ($38,475) for 7th round picks to £125,000 ($160,311) for the 1st round picks. Wildcards were drafted later as well as one centrally contracted per team.

Draft Pick	Salary Amount
Round 1	£125,000 ($160,311)
Round 2	£100,000 ($128,249)
Round 3	£75,000 ($96,186)
Round 4	£60,000 ($76,949)
Round 5	£50,000 ($64,124)
Round 6	£40,000 ($51,299)
Round 7	£30,000 ($38,475)

Note: The conversion rate is as of 7/31/2023, when £1 = $1.28.

Also Read: What is the Salary of women cricketers in The Hundred (Women’s) in England?

The Hundred Retentions & Draft Picks – Salary of Cricket Player in The Hundred

*Note: Since the initial draft, several players have pulled out of the tournament and have been replaced.

*Matthew Short, Mitchell Santner, Tanveer Sangha, Ish Sodhi, Daryl Mitchell, Matthew Wade, Daniel Worrall, Usama Mir, Zaman Khan, Adam Zampa, Jimmy Neesham, Imad Wasim are some of the replaced players while Rashid Khan, Glenn Maxwell, etc. have pulled out (some others like Josh Little., Mithcell Santner, and Imad Wasim will play a few games here and there).

1. First Round Draft Pick (£125,000/$160,311)

Retentions: Adil Rashid, Harry Brook (Northern Superchargers), Sunil Narine, Will Jacks (Oval Invincibles), Liam Livingstone (Birmingham Phoenix), Glenn Maxwell (London Spirit), Wanindu Hasaranga, Phil Salt (Manchester Originals), Rashid Khan (Trent Rocket)
Draft Picks: Tom Abell, David Willey (Welsh Fire), Leus Du Plooy, Tim David (Southern Brave), Ben Duckett (Birmingham Phoenix), Mitchell Marsh (London Spirit), Tom Kohler-Cadmore (Trent Rockets)

2. Second Round Draft Pick (£100,000/$128,249)

Retentions: Joe Clarke (Welsh Fire), James Vince, Chris Jordan (Southern Brave), Jason Roy, Tom Curran (Oval Invincibles), Moeen Ali, Shadab Khan (Birmingham Phoenix), Nathan Ellis (London Spirit), Dawid Malan, Alex Hales (Trent Rocket)
Draft Picks: Shaheen Shah Afridi (Welsh Fire), Reece Topley, Tom Banton (Northern Superchargers), Olly Stone (London Spirit), Laurie Evans, Ashton Turner (Manchester Invincibles)

3. Third Round Draft Pick (£75,000/$96,186)

Retentions: Adam Lyth (Northern Superchargers), Ollie Pope (Welsh Fire), Tymal Mills (Southern Brave), Sam Billings, Saqib Mahmood (Oval Invincibles), Adam Milne, Benny Howell (Birmingham Phoenix), Liam Dawson, Dan Lawrence (London Spirit), Jamie Overton, Tom Hartley (Manchester Originals), Lewis Gregory, Luke Wood, Michael Bracewell (Northern Superchargers)
Draft Picks: Glenn Phillips (Welsh Fire), Devon Conway (Southern Brave), Heinrich Klaasen, Ross Whiteley (Oval Invincibles)

4. Fourth Round Draft Pick (£60,000/$76,949)

Retentions: Adam Hose, Brydon Carse (Northern Superchargers), David Payne (Welsh Fire), Rehan Ahmed (Southern Brave), Will Smeed, Kane Richardson (Birmingham Phoenix), Zak Crawley, Jordan Thompson (London Spirit), Richard Gleeson, Paul Walter (Manchester Originals), Colin Munro, Sam Cook (Trent Rocket)
Draft Picks: Haris Rauf (Welsh Fire), Jamie Smith (Birmingham Phoenix), Josh Tongue (Manchester Originals)

5. Fifth Round Draft Pick (£50,000/$64,124)

Retentions: David Wiese (Northern Superchargers), Jake Ball (Welsh Fire), George Garton, Finn Allen (Southern Brave), Jordan Cox, Gus Atkinson (Oval Invincibles), Tom Helm (Birmingham Phoenix), Mason Crane, Adam Rossington (London Spirit), Josh Little (Manchester Originals), Daniel Sams, Samit Patel
Draft Picks: Roelof van de Merwe (Welsh Fire), Insanullah (Oval Invincibles), Miles Hammond (Birmingham Phoenix), Sam Hain, Brad Wheal (Trent Rockets)

6. Sixth Round Draft Pick (£40,000/$51,299)

Retentions: Wayne Parnell (Northern Superchargers), James Fuller, Alex Davies (Southern Brave), Danny Briggs (Oval Invincibles), Chris Benjamin (Birmingham Phoenix), Chris Wood, Ravi Bopara (London Spirit), Wayne Madsen, Tom Lammonby (Manchester Originals)
Draft Picks: Steve Eskinazi, Daniel Douthwaite (Welsh Fire), Bas de Leede (Northern Superchargers)

7. Seventh Round Draft Pick (£30,000/$38,475)

Draft Picks: Callum Parkinson (Northern Superchargers), Nathan Sowter (Oval Invincibles), George Scrimshaw (Welsh Fire), Joe Weatherley (Southern Brave), Dan Mousley (Birmingham Phoenix), Mitchell Stanley (Manchester Originals), Matt Carter

8. Wildcard Pick (£30,000/$38,475)

Daniel Bell-Drummond, Matt Critchley (London Spirit), Luke Wells Chris Cooke (Welsh Fire), Max Holden, Ben Raine (Manchester Originals), Ollie Robinson, Saif Zaib (Northern Superchargers), Tawanda Muyeye, Zak Chapell (Oval Invincibles), Tom Moores, John Turner (Trent Rockets), Jacob Bethell, Henry Brookes (Birmingham Phoenix), Jafer Chohan, Matt Fisher (Southern Brave)

*In previous years, only one wildcard was available for £50,000/$64,124. However, since Hundred 2023, there will be two wildcard picks for £30,000 each.

9. Centrally Contracted Players (£50,000-£125,000/ $64,124-$160,311)

£50,000 for 3 games (plus £ 5,000 for each further game)
£125,000 for full season

Jonny Bairstow (Welsh Fire), Jofra Archer (Southern Brave), Ben Stokes (Northern Superchargers), Sam Curran (Oval Invincibles), Chris Woakes (Birmingham Phoenix), Mark Wood (Lond Spirit), Jos Buttler (Manchester Originals), Joe Root (Trent Rockets)

Also Read: What is the Salary of a Major League Cricket player in the USA?

Final Thoughts

The Hundred draft dynamics has turned out to be pretty uneven over the last few years.

As Freddie Wilde wrote, “there will be overseas players taken at £60,000 who are better players than domestic players at £125,000.” Although this year the imbalance has reduced, the uncertain player availability is a cause for concern.

Due to leagues turning out left & right, especially in the summer months & due to England’s internal conflict with the Counties, it is not a total certainty that Men’s Hundred will survive another couple of years.

Sources: How The Hundred Draft Really Works (Cricinfo), Squads (Cricinfo), Entire Draft List (ECB), Pay Freeze in 2023 (The Cricketer), Pay Increase in 2022 (Cricinfo)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average salary for a player in the Hundred in England?

The average salary of a player in the Hundred (Men’s Competition) is £58,823.53 or $75,440.29 (maximum 17 players in squad with a purse of £1,000,000 or $1,282,485).

Is The Hundred the richest cricket league in the world?

No, the Indian Premier League (IPL) is the richest cricket league in the world. The Hundred (Men’s) is the fifth richest cricket league in the world (based on average player salary).

How much money does Joe Root earn in the Hundred in England?

Joe Root will earn £125,000 if he plays a full season. Otherwise, he will earn £50,000 for full season plus £5,000 for full season for each additional game.

Who was the most expensive player in The Hundred draft?

Adil Rashid, Harry Brook, Sunil Narine, Glenn Maxwell, etc. were the most expensive players. They each earned £125,000 ($160,311) as the first draft picks.

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, LLC 2023. Originally published on 07/31/2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).

County Cricket-Hundred Debate From an Outsider’s Perspective: Can They Co-Exist?

by Nitesh Mathur | Jul 29, 2021 | Analysis, Article Index, Miscellaneous

Abraham Lincoln famously remarked, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”

England cricket is having that moment right now with the County Cricket vs The Hundred debate. From the outside, everything seems fine—2019 World Cup victory, Anderson-Broad still going strong, finally a somewhat stable opening Test partnership in Burns-Sibley, and an enviable depth.

Deep down, though, there are gaping cracks. Tradition, history, club cricket, professional contracts, indirect impact on Tests are stacked against city-based franchises, new format, media rights, and emphasis on limited overs cricket.

Today, I am not going to present an argument from an English perspective—David Hopps, Andrew Miller, and George Dobell (twice) provide well-articulated balanced views. On the other hand, I express my observations as an outsider.

Is Controversy Helping County Cricket or Hundred?

Full disclosure—I am not from England. I have no particular affinity with a specific county and do not follow much of the County Championship, Royal London One-Day Cup, or the T20 Blast (unless of course Alastair Cook is nearing another ton or Shaheen Shah Afridi takes 4 in a row). Nor did I watch a single game of the Kia Super League.

Yet the endless debates and discussion on social media against The Hundred piqued my curiosity. I have since watched almost all games of The Hundred and have enjoyed them too. While County Cricket fans are trying to fight for their side, they might have actually helped publicize the Hundred.

Also Read: The Comedy of Overs: Shakespearean Parody Starring English Cricket, The Hundred, And County Cricket

The Good, Bad, And Ugly

So has The Hundred lived up to the hype?

First impressions—the possibility that a bowler can bowl 10 consecutive balls has added an extra dimension. Rashid Khan went as far as to say it’s now possible to take three hat-tricks! Imagine the flexibility with swing bowlers and death specialists. When a Joe Root-esque part-timer keeps it tight, let him or her continue.

I also like the speed of the game. The over-rate field placement penalty and the swiftness of DRS decisions has reduced the time down to less than 3 hours.

Most importantly, the cricket has been good, and it looks like a fun family time. Affordable tickets, priceless expressions of kids, last over thrillers, Lizelle Lee-Jemimah Rodrigues specials, find of Chris Benjamin, Alex Hales-Ben Stokes drama, and Bairstow being Bairstow. All good.

There is always room for improvement, however. Graphics are all over the place, crowds are not sell-outs, and even umpire Nigel Llong had to ask the DJ to dial it down a notch.

Disparity in Score Decreases

The simultaneous matches with the Women’s Hundred is turning out to be a gamechanger. The level of women’s cricket was criticized in Women’s T20 Challenge when the Velocity were bundled for 47 although conditions were not ideal.

In the Hundred, when the women’s team only scored 113-93, the men’s teams did even worse 87/10 a few hours later in a spin dominated pitch. The average scores are 124 and 137 so far for the women’s & men’s editions respectively, and quality of cricket equally enthralling.

Can County Cricket, T20 Blast, and The Hundred Coexist—Yay or Nay?

One argument has been why not just re-market the T20 Blast instead of creating a new format?

If we all agree that County Cricket, T20 Blast, and the Hundred are to coexist, the question then becomes of scheduling.

County Championship: 18 Teams, 3 Groups, 90 matches, April-July
T20 Vitality Blast: 18 Teams, 2 groups, 133 matches, June-September
The Hundred: 8 teams & 34 matches for Women’s/Men’s each, July-August

Add the home Test summer, the English rain, and this is a packed schedule. The issue with the T20 Blast is that it is played over 18 teams, broken over several months, with numerous games on the same day. The momentum is stagnant, regular international talent not retained, and coverage low.

About Time England Dominate The League World

England are the current ODI World Champions and one of the favorites for the T20 World Cup. If there was ever a time to invest in a franchise league of international standard, it is now before the likes of Eoin Morgan head towards retirement.

When the IPL was launched in 2008, India still had legends like Dravid-Tendulkar-Ganguly-Laxman to build stable fanbases & drive spectators to the ground but it was the 2007 T20 World Cup victory that ensured T20 would succeed in India. Yes, it might be weird that Jonny Bairstow from Yorkshire is playing for the Welsh Fire. There maybe no natural County support for an artificial franchise league, but Dhoni & Raina are not from Chennai either (far from it!) and probably possess the largest IPL fanbase.

England was reluctant to invest in franchise cricket and suffered till the 2015 Cricket World Cup debacle as a result. The rest of the world allowed India to become a monopoly in the T20 market. One can argue that losing Buttlers-Stokes-Morgans-Archers to the IPL 2 months in the year is indirectly hurting the County Cricket. Had English cricket invested in a T20 league earlier and provided it a window so it does not clash with domestic tournaments, they would have been at a better place. Shoulda, woulda, coulda.

There is still time. Who knows, a high-quality concentrated domestic tournament can extend England’s golden era and throw up new stars.

Better players, more competition, more spectators/TV viewership, more money, higher salaries—Players, counties, leagues, everybody happy?

Also Read: The Need For Champions League & a T20 League Calendar

Why Not Follow the India Model?

With 38 teams & multiple groups, Ranji Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and the IPL coexist. A separate window for the IPL ensures availability of homegrown talent as well as majority of foreign players. Ranji Trophy provides professional support, SMAT is scheduled strategically a month before the auction to showcase new talent, and the IPL, in return, provides developed players, academies, & scouting systems back to the domestic teams.

From the looks of it, ECB has almost made up its mind about the Hundred at least for a couple of seasons. So why not try to find a solution that benefits all parties involved instead of opposing it?

I will leave you with Michael Atherton’s warning on commentary today. Fans are drawn towards a new format because it is exciting and different. Administrators get greedy and keep expanding like the IPL and Big Bash. A few years later, the format becomes diluted and ‘loses its pizzazz.’

Just a short 1-month Hundred can probably survive and not hurt other formats. However, if this format is to spread to expand to more teams, other countries, or become an international format, then there will be detrimental consequences. Until then we can have some fun and adapt innovations from this experiment into the existing formats. Keep the Hundred simple, but do not forget the county game either.

Lincoln was right. Now England must choose—an internal divisive cricket Civil War or a mutual partnership?

Thanks for checking out this content! What are your views on County Cricket Vs The Hundred. COMMENT Below or more engagement! Consider subscribing for more such cricket articles & featured content!

Copyright @Nitesh Mathur, Broken Cricket Dreams, bcd@brokencricketdreams.com – 07/29/2021

Image Courtesy: Photo by fauxels on Pexels.com