The Hundred winners 2024?

The fourth edition of The Hundred begins today with the Oval Invincibles hosting the Birmingham Phoenix in both the women’s and men’s competition.

In my latest podcast, episode 278 – The Hundred – The past, the present and the future with Rosa Simkin of Rosa Talks Ball, together we previewed the women’s event, and I was put on the spot to predict the winner of the men’s event.

Unsurprisingly, Rosa followed up her 2023 prediction and chose the Welsh Fire. After two calamitous campaigns where the Cardiff based franchise won only 3 matches, the Fire won 5 of their group matches last summer. Only the rain denied Tammy Beaumont’s side the chance to win the eliminator against the Northern Superchargers and reach the final against the Southern Brave.

Whilst the powerful Southern Brave won the final comfortably by 34 runs, the Fire had beaten them at the group stage in a tight encounter by 4 runs, so who knows what might have happened in the final.

“They played some incredible cricket in 2023,” said Rosa. A hundred campaign which included three stand out moments. A last over hat trick by the fastest women’s bowler of all time, Shabnim Ismail of South Africa to beat the Birmingham Phoenix by 3 runs. Tammy Beaumont (118 not out, 61 balls) scored the first ever century by a woman in The Hundred against the Trent Rockets and in the same game The Fire recorded the competitions highest ever women’s team score of 181/3.

Grace Bambury, our guest in episode 249 was umpiring on that day in Cardiff.

https://chrt.fm/track/4F8ACF/traffic.megaphone.fm/COMG9914180752.mp3?updated=1709128660

“They are probably the most stacked squad in the tournament. Every single player in their team is strong. They have not a got a single weak link,” said Rosa.

The West Indies captain Hayley Matthews, Shabnim Ismail and Australian spinner Jess Jonassen all feature in the Fire’s squad of fifteen.

Rosa’s top three

London Spirit – Meg Lanning, the legendary former Australian captain is tipping it for me,

Southern Brave – They have to be up there.

Welsh Fire – Champions

Top run scorer – Holly Armitage (Northern Superchargers)

Top wicket taker – Amanda Jade Wellington (Oval Invincibles)

Player to look out for Tilly Corteen-Coleman (Southern Brave)

Will the top team score of 181 be beaten – Yes

Stephen’s top three in the men’s competition

Trent Rockets

Oval Invincibles

Southern Brave – Champions

The return to form and fitness of Jofra Archer could prove pivotal and Akeal Hosein, the West Indies T20 slow left armer is a useful addition to their squad.

You can hear our full preview of the fourth edition of The Hundred in episode 278 which also features Kirstie Gordon and Mick Newell from the Trent Rockets.

https://chrt.fm/track/4F8ACF/traffic.megaphone.fm/COMG3539647986.mp3?updated=1721681211

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