The Hundred reveals details of player retention process after postponement

Details of the selection process for the inaugural edition of the competition, which was postponed in 2020 due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, were revealed on Thursday

Teams will be able to negotiate to retain as many players as they see fit ahead of the men's edition of The Hundred in 2021.

Details of the selection process for the inaugural year of the competition, which was postponed in 2020 due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, were revealed on Thursday.

The tournament’s initial regulations suggested that each of the eight teams would be able to retain a maximum of ten players ahead of a subsequent mini-draft. However, on account of the postponement, that number has now been extended.

It remains unlikely, however, that any full squad will remain the same; there are several reasons for this, including the end of Kolpak status, a new band of central contracts, potential for a tightly packed international schedule and form since the draft in October 2019.

Some players – Dawid Malan perhaps, who cost Trent Rockets just £40,000 in 2019 – may believe that they have outperformed their existing price bracket, while others – a year older – may be seen to be on the wane.

What happens next, therefore, will take place over a three-step period. In the near future, the ECB will reveal the identities of central contract holders for the 2020/21 period, which will likely begin a merry-go-round of changes to teams.

^{Jonny Bairstow was allocated to Welsh Fire last year after Northern Superchargers opted for Ben Stokes as their red-ball contracted player}

Last year, players on England red-ball deals were divided among the eight teams according to the location of their home county.

However, where there were multiple players from counties that represented a single Hundred region, the team had to choose its player, with the others put into a pot to be selected by teams without an England player.

In 2019, Northern Superchargers had to decided between Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow. They opted for Stokes, with Bairstow and Root then reallocated to Welsh Fire and Trent Rockets, respectively.

This year, an England player who was centrally contracted last season and keeps hold of their deal can be retained by their 2020 team. An England contracted player in 2019, who is not given a contract in the new set – Bairstow, given his current Test status, seems particularly vulnerable here – can negotiate with their 2020 team for a position in 2021. If no agreement is made, they will be released to the mini-draft.

Players who were not centrally contracted last year but this year are handed an England deal can also be retained by their teams. But for that to happen, their England-contracted player from 2019 must then be released into an ‘England pot’, from which teams without an England player will pick to ensure that each side has at least one in their squad.

^{Joe Root was due to play for Trent Rockets last year}

Following this initial process, the retention window will open, spanning from October 2020 to January 2021.

During this period, teams are able to negotiate as many of their 2020 squad as they wish, with a maximum of three overseas players. Players can be moved up or down their salary brackets, which have been cut by 20 per cent as a consequence of Covid-19’s financial impact.

The new bands, therefore, are £100,000, £80,000, £60,000, £48,000, £40,000, £32,000 and £24,000. If a player has not agreed new terms by the end of the window, they are released back into the draft pool ahead of a draft to take place in early 2021.

Teams will possess a ‘right to match’ option during the draft for players they have released at the end of the retention window. If a new team wishes to sign that player, his 2020 team may stop this by guaranteeing him the same salary band. Each team may only do this once, and only if they have an available slot in their squad list at that salary band.

As per last year, each team will be given a wildcard option, which will be used before the 2021 season begins.

The process for the women’s competition is more straightforward and has already been set out, with players able to roll over their contracts from 2020 to 2021. Those not taking that option can be selected in an open-market system.

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