James Vince and Anya Shrubsole are part of Southern Brave for The Hundred

Strength in depth and stars in spades – here’s why Southern Brave will strike fear into their rivals in the inaugural edition of The Hundred.

Women’s squad (overseas players in bold)

Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Sophia Dunkley, Smriti Mandhana (India), Ella McCaughan, Fritha Morris, Tara Norris, Sonia Odedra, Carla Rudd, Paige Scholfield, Anya Shrubsole, Charlotte Taylor, Stafanie Taylor (West Indies), Amanda-Jane Wellington (Australia), Danni Wyatt

Men’s squad (overseas players in bold)

Jofra Archer, Danny Briggs, Devon Conway (New Zealand), Alex Davies, Liam Dawson, Quinton de Kock (South Africa), George Garton, Colin de Grandhomme (New Zealand), Chris Jordan, Jake Lintott, Tymal Mills, Craig Overton, Delray Rawlins, James Vince, Max Waller, Ross Whiteley

Rockets vs Brave

July 24, 2021, 10:30am

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Coaches: Simply the best? You’ll have to go a long way to find a more eye-catching combination than Charlotte Edwards and Mahela Jayawardene. Edwards’ transition from elite player to cream-of-the-crop coach has been as smooth and successful as the style that elevated her to England’s highest run-scorer of all time. Jayawardene’s resume is likewise none too shabby – the former Sri Lanka captain being the mastermind behind the mighty Mumbai Indians in the IPL.

Home ground: The Ageas Bowl

Rockets vs Brave

July 24, 2021, 2:00pm

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Men’s star players: Colin de Grandhomme, Devon Conway, Quinton de Kock… There’s plenty of razzmatazz around The Hundred despite the late withdrawal of Andre Russell – the West Indies firecracker pulling out a week ahead of the tournament. The sparkle of De Grandhomme, his replacement, has already lit up the Ageas this summer due to the all-rounder’s stint at Hampshire and don’t tell the Kiwi big-hitter that he’s a replacement! Losing Marcus Stoinis and David Warner in late June was also undoubtedly a blow for Brave but in Conway and De Kock they are replaced by two immovable mountains. Conway averages above 50 in ALL THREE international formats, while former South Africa captain De Kock has scored 9,500 international runs. Substitutes they ain’t, either.

Devon Conway and Quinton de Kock could churn out plenty of runs for Brave

Women’s star players: Sophia Dunkley, Smriti Mandhana… Both were born for the big stage and are sprinkled with stardust. Dunkley’s appeal is as wide as her split-grip, the 23-year-old all-rounder announcing her international arrival against India with maiden Test and ODI fifties earlier this summer. Expect her leg-spin to be a potent weapon too. Meanwhile, Indian legend Mandhana could sit back and reflect on an international tally of over 4,000 runs but on the evidence of the series against England the left-hander remains as hungry as ever.

India’s Smriti Mandhana is one of the best batters around

How far can the women’s team go? With West Indian lynchpin Stafanie Taylor on board, the Brave should be a match for anyone. Her unbeaten hundred against Pakistan in July proved she’s still up there with the best and should inspire Danni Wyatt, amongst others, to step up another level. No batting side can ever rest easy while Anya Shrubsole still has deliveries in the locker and Charlotte Taylor – as she proved with six wickets in the 2020 Rachael Heyhoe Flint final – is another bowler who loves the big occasion.

How far can the men’s team go? Bold – perhaps even brash – this is an outfit packed with destructive brilliance. As recruitment jobs go, it’s top notch with the experience and expertise of Chris Jordan and Tymal Mills well-balanced against the up-and-coming thrust of the likes of George Garton. Pity the team that comes up against Liam Dawson, Max Waller and Danny Briggs on a turner.

The Hundred starts with a women’s match between Oval Invincibles and Manchester Originals at The Kia Oval on Wednesday, July 21, with the men’s competition starting a day later at the same venue.

Sky Sports will show all 68 games live – 34 women’s and 34 men’s – while all women’s matches and a significant number of men’s games will be streamed live on the Sky Cricket YouTube channel.