The 1st Central County Ground to host Finals Day in The Hundred

The 1st Central County Ground and Lord's have been awarded the Finals Days in the first season of cricket’s newest competition, The Hundred.

The 1st Central County Ground in Hove stages the final of the women’s competition on Friday, August 14, while the men’s final will be hosted by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) at Lord’s on Saturday, August 15 in what promises to be an action-packed two days of cricket.

The 1st Central County Ground has a strong track record of staging sell-out England women’s internationals and the Kia Super League Finals Day in recent years.  

The large crowd expected to attend the flagship event next August will be treated to an exciting line-up of world-class cricket, music and entertainment.

Rob Andrew, Sussex Cricket Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are delighted to be hosting the first women’s Finals Day for The Hundred. We have a strong reputation for supporting and promoting the women’s game in Sussex and this will help grow the interest in girls’ and women’s cricket - one of our key priorities over the coming years.”

Sanjay Patel, Managing Director – The Hundred, said: “We’re delighted to award the first Finals of The Hundred to Lord’s and Hove – two grounds with a great history of staging showcase events in men’s and women’s cricket.

“The Hundred represents an incredible opportunity to broaden our audience for cricket and it’s great to see our Finals venues committed to delivering great spectacles next August to close the inaugural competitions with a bang.

“We’re looking forward to what promises to be a fantastic tournament, starting with the first men’s match in The Hundred on July 17 at the Kia Oval.”

Lord’s, globally regarded as the Home of Cricket, will welcome international and domestic stars for the men's Finals Day, with more people than ever able to cheer them on with the redevelopment of the Compton and Edrich stands having completed its first phase of development.

Guy Lavender, Chief Executive of MCC, said: “We are thrilled to be hosting the inaugural men’s final of The Hundred at Lord’s and we are committed to making it a great success. The Home of Cricket is a great setting for the final of this brand new competition, which will provide MCC the opportunity to welcome many more young people and families into the ground, including the Pavilion, not only for the final but across the group stages with our team, London Spirit.

“We have been fortunate enough to host some incredible finals over the years, not least with the recent exploits of both the England men’s and women’s teams winning their respective World Cups in exhilarating fashion, and we know this is going to be another momentous sporting occasion - as well as another seminal moment in the rich history of Lord’s.”

Lord’s will tailor its offering to meet the requirements of The Hundred. MCC plans to transform the ground with increased food and drink options – including vegan, halal and child-friendly concessions – and off-field entertainment to appeal to all ages.

The Nursery Ground and MCC Cricket Academy will also host fan zones with space for entertainment, retail and child-friendly activities. The intention is to create a vibrant experience that will be enjoyed by cricket fans new and old.