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England cricket stars could DOUBLE their wages as ECB launches new plans for The Hundred

The ECB are considering plans to overhaul The Hundred as it prepares to sell of the league's eight franchises, with both men's and women's players in line for a major pay rise

[LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 18: Sam Billings and the Oval Invincibles celebrate after The Hundred Final between Oval Invincibles and Southern Brave at Lord's Cricket Ground on August 18, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Philip Brown/Getty Images)]

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The ECB is considering plans to hand out a massive increase in salaries in The Hundred(Image: Philip Brown/Getty Images)

England's cricket stars could see their wages doubled as the ECB considers overhauling The Hundred competition.

The Hundred launched in 2021 but has experienced mixed success during its four seasons. While it has consistently attracted the best overseas players in the women's game, the ECB has struggled to sign up the top stars in men's game.

This season, Shaheen Shah Afridi pulled out of his deal with Welsh Fire because Canada's Global T20 was due to pay him at a more competitive rate, while Australia captain Pat Cummins admitted he "hadn't thought" of playing in The Hundred while he was at Major League Cricket.

The ECB now appear to be making moves to avoid a repeat for next year's season, which is due to begin in August, immediately after England's men's team complete a Test series against India.

According to ESPN, Hundred franchises could be allowed to make players direct offers of multi-year contracts worth up to 300,000 per season. That would come as part of an overhaul to the current draft system.

Currently recruitment operates with a draft. Teams have a deadline to keep up to 10 players, plus one Centrally Contracted England star. Players not retained then enter the draft, along with any newcomers.

Each have a reserve price, but can be offered more money by the team which picks them. Teams then take turns to select players with the order being the reverse of the previous season's final standings.

HAVE YOUR SAY! Should The Hundred be scrapped? Comment below.

[England test captain Joe Root is part of the Trent Rockets]

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Joe Root is one of the England stars who play in The Hundred and in line for a major pay rise(Image: Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images for ECB)

This could now change though, with the ECB considering allowing each franchise to make up to six direct overseas signings - three men's and three women's - on multi-year contracts. The draft would remain but with increases in salary bands across the board, particularly at the top end.

That would come as part of plans for top salaries to climb from 125,000 to 300,000 in the men's Hundred for the 2025 season. Those changes would put the Hundred's total salary spend second only to the IPL.

The ECB is also considering lobbying the UK government's Home Office to permit each team in the Hundred to field a fourth overseas player in their XI, an increase from the current limit of three.

The changes come with the ECB beginning the process of selling stakes in each of the eight Hundred teams. The board has told prospective investors that total wage bills could increase by over 80 percent.

It is claimed they are estimating that spend will increase from the current 1.9million per year on salaries across men's and women's players and coaches up to more than 3.5m per year once deals are signed off.

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