The Hundred: Team-by-team guide and possible XIs

Ed Hawkins
21 July 2021
3:00 min read

Lynn and Lyth could fire Superchargers

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Ed Hawkins ranks the teams and has the key stats, strengths, weaknesses and possible XIs for cricket's brand new tournament...

"Trent Rockets no longer have to worry about the marketing men pressurising them to pick Joe Root"

Southern Brave 5.509/2

Coach: Mahela Jayawardene
Batting rank: 5 (Batting rank = cumulative boundary % for possible top 5)

Strengths: Fantastic batting picks for a potentially tricky Southampton surface. And Jofra Archer.
Weaknesses: Spin. Playing it and using it. Little they can do about the former. Our best XI assumes spin will be vital in the tournament

Possible XI: De Kock (wkt), Conway, Vince, Davies, Rawlins, De Grandhomme, Archer, Jordan, Briggs, Dawson, Mills
Predicted group finish: 3rd

Trent Rockets 6.005/1

Coach: Andy Flower
Batting rank: 6

Strengths: Well, they no longer have to worry about the marketing men pressurising them to pick Joe Root. Very strong top order and the best spinner in the world in Rashid Khan
Weaknesses: Could the Trent Bridge road reduce the gulf?

Possible XI: Short, Hales, Wright, Malan, Moores (wkt), Patel, Gregory, Rashid, Wahab, Luke Wood, Carter
Predicted group finish: 4th

Oval Invincibles 6.005/1

Coach: Tom Moody
Batting rank: 2

Strengths: The most explosive opening duo in the competition. Lamichhane a fantastic signbing so long as visa issues are resolved. They will be bang on the money for match-ups and use of data
Weaknesses: A ridiculous name. Particularly for a unit which has Tom Curran and Saqib Mahmood as its death bowlers. They could lose tight games.

Possible XI: Roy, Jacks, Evans, Narine, Billings (wkt), Ingram, T Curran, J Clark, Topley, Saqib, Lamichhane
Predicted group finish: 2nd

Northern Superchargers 6.5011/2

Coach: Darren Lehmann
Batting rank: 3

Strengths: Pairing Adil rashid and Mujeeb-ur-Rehmann is a dream for this tournament. That coupled with superb power up front gives them a great chance.
Weaknesses: No Ben Stokes for the bulk of the group games. And if they lose one more key player squad depth is limited

Possible XI: Lynn, Lyth, Du Plessis, Brook, Kohler-Cadmore, Simpson (wkt), Willey, J Thompson, Adil Rashid, Carse, Mujeeb
Predicted finish: 5th

Manchester Originals 6.5011/2

Coach: Simon Katich
Batting rank: 7

Strengths: The top five is exciting, particularly with Lammonby slotting in. Matt Parkinson and Lockie Ferguson could turn games on their own with the ball
Weaknesses: Beginning to lose too many players. Buttler will be with England until the finals after the first two group games. Jamie Overton and Richard Gleeson are injured, Ollie Robinson has been called up by England. Down to the bare bones already.

Possible XI: Salt, Munro, Clarke (wkt), Hain, Lammonby, Brathwaite, C Ackermann, Klaasen, Ferguson, Parkinson, Finn
Predicted group finish: 7th

Birmingham Phoenix 8.07/1

Coach: Dan Vettori
Batting rank: 1

Strengths: Brilliant front three who will not die wondering. And brilliant, specialist white-ball bowlers.
Weaknesses: Losing Chris Woakes means they don't bat as deep as other teams. Dan Vettori has a poor record as coach.

Possible XI Livingstone, Allen (wkt), Moeen, Abell, Hammond, Hose, Howell, Pennington, Milne, P Brown, Tahir
Predicted group finish 1st

London Spirit 8.07/1

Coach: Shane Warne
Batting rank: 6

Strengths: Luis Reece, who struck at 171 for Derby, and Aussie Josh Inglis in the top three. Most important of all is that coach. They'll be bright and smart and competitive.
Weaknesses: Bowling looks pricey and, dare we say it, Eoin Morgan? Bench strength is an issue after being hit by the loss of Crawley, Lawrence and Mark Wood to England.

Possible XI: Reece, Inglis (wkt), Denly, Morgan, Bopara, Nabi, Van der Merwe, C Wood, Dernbach, Amir, Mason Crane
Predicted group finish: 6th

Welsh Fire 8.007/1

Coach: Gary Kirsten
Batting rank: 4

Strengths: Ummm. We quite like the name? Really very little to write home about.
Weaknesses: The loss of Jonny Bairstow to England duty for the bulk of the group games is a blow to a side already shorn of Kieron Pollard. They looked a batter light anyway. Legitimate concerns about bowlers keeping it tight.

Possible XI: Banton (wkt), Phillips, Duckett, Lloyd, Neesham, Cobb, Higgins, Qais Ahmad, Ball, Plunkett, Payne
Predicted group finish: 8th

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