The 1st Central County Ground chosen as host venue for The Hundred

The 1st Central County Ground has been chosen as one of eleven venues to host standalone women’s matches in The Hundred, the new 100-ball competition which begins in July 2020.

The ground will become home to the women’s team that will play under the same identity as the men’s team based at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton.

Rob Andrew, chief executive of Sussex Cricket, said: “The continued growth of the women’s game is a central tenet of our strategy at Sussex Cricket. As such, we’re delighted to be hosting Charlotte Edwards and her team here at The 1st Central County Ground in The Hundred.

“The fantastic crowds we’ve had at Kia Super League finals day over the past three years, as well as at numerous England internationals, shows how well supported the women’s game is in our community. We can’t wait to welcome thousands more fans – both existing and new - when this exciting new tournament gets underway next summer.

“Thanks to the support of the Aldridge Foundation and the dedication of our staff, our own women’s and girls’ programmes are going from strength to strength. It will be wonderful to see so many of our Sussex players performing at the highest-level here in Hove when The Hundred gets underway.”

Beth Barrett-Wild, Head of the Women's Competition - The Hundred, said: "We're delighted to be able to take the Women's Competition to a number of excellent venues around the country.

"The venues for the men's and women's competitions respectively are working together incredibly closely and that connection will help The Hundred inspire more people to attend, watch and play cricket.

"It's particularly exciting that the Women's Competition will be seen by fans across all 18 First-Class counties, this represents a huge opportunity to grow women's cricket - while the double-headers at the men's venues provide another chance to present the men's and women's teams on the same platform.

"Many of the venues for the Women's Competition have an excellent track record in supporting and nurturing the women's game and we look forward to that continuing across The Hundred."

September will also see the opening of player registration for The Hundred, in both the Men's Competition and the Women's Competition. 

While selection in the Men's Competition will be via a Player Draft on October 20 - the first-ever of its kind in UK sport - the Women's Competition will have a bespoke player selection process.

Players will be selected across a two-stage, open-market system, with a standardised player fee band structure.

During stage one of the player selection process (Sep 1-Sep 30), each team is obliged to sign two players from the current England Women’s central contract list.

Stage two of the player selection process (Oct 1-May 30) will then see each team sign their remaining 13 players from across three different player pools: the remaining England Women’s centrally contracted players, overseas players and domestic players.

Teams can sign a maximum of one further England women’s centrally contracted player during stage two and can sign a maximum of three overseas players.

Leading player selection for each team will be the Head Coach, something that Charlotte Edwards - recently announced as Head Coach of the Southampton-based team - is excited about.

She said: "It's really exciting that we'll have an open market system and that all of the teams will be recruiting their own players for the first time. It shows how the women's game has evolved and developed.

"I know I can't wait to start building our team and I'm sure for the players it will be a really interesting process, as they develop more of an idea of their value and what they can bring to a team.

"The depth of the women's game isn't yet at a stage where a draft would be the best way forward, and it's important that we don't just match the template of the men's game. There are areas in which the needs of the women's game are different and it's right that we find the right approach for them."