In the unfolding of the Women's Hundred, let no century of Perrin be remembered as the final pinnacle of greatness
The women's cricket scene in The Hundred is brimming with excitement and anticipation, as the competition gears up for significant changes under its new investment. This shift, however, comes with a touch of anxiety among players, a sentiment rooted in past instances where prioritising the women's game has fallen short.
One player who has made a notable impact is Davina Perrin. At just 19 years old, she became the youngest player ever signed in The Hundred and set the record for the fastest century on record by an English woman during a game at The Oval. Her playing style, reminiscent of West Indies idols Viv Richards and Brian Lara, has captured the hearts of many.
In a heartfelt conversation with BBC Sport, Perrin shared that her family is her pillar of strength, being the first person she calls when feeling low and the first she runs to in moments of celebration.
The Hundred has been a driving force for growth in women's cricket over the last five years, attracting record crowds. This year, the women's county game has aligned with the men's teams, and we might even see a sell-out crowd for a women's final played under lights at Lord's, traditionally held before the men's event.
However, the sale of The Hundred teams by the ECB has raised concerns. Without their control, there's a risk that the new owners may subtly hollow out the factors that have made the women's competition a success. The ECB's chief executive, Richard Gould, has stated his ambition for at least a partial decoupling of the competitions to maximise ticket sales.
The potential double ticket sale revenue increase from splitting the competition up is being considered, but there's a need to prioritise the position of the women's competition to avoid it being overshadowed by the men's teams.
The WPL (Women's Premier League) has seen two out of the four investors who own IPL teams successfully bid for franchises in 2023. Meanwhile, Capri International, who own UP Warriorz in the WPL, were outbid for Welsh Fire by MLC Washington Freedom owner Sanjay Govil.
Vikram Banerjee, managing director of The Hundred, has insisted that the new owners have "bought into" the "two for one deal" when they dropped extraordinary amounts of cash on the teams. However, the identities of these new owners preparing to take full control of The Hundred teams have not been specified in the available search results.
Despite the equal platform, women's players have been consistently short-changed in terms of salaries. Generating goodwill requires increased salaries, a need that has been underscored by the success of players like Issy Wong, who kept her marketability high even after slipping out of the national side with her WPL hat-trick.
Alice Capsey, The Hundred's original poster-girl, is now an England regular. Her journey serves as a testament to the potential that lies within the women's game. Beth Barrett-Wild, director of the women's professional game in England, has stated that elements such as the shared platform and the co-position of the men and women, the double-headers, are protected through various legal documents.
As The Hundred navigates these changes, it is crucial to maintain the momentum and progress that has been made in the women's game over the past five years. For the latest cricket news, live scores, match stats, quizzes, player updates, team standings, match highlights, video analysis, live match odds, follow our website.
