England captain Ben Stokes will make a return to The Hundred competition this year, following the conclusion of the Test series against the West Indies. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced this news on Thursday. Stokes, who last participated in the tournament in 2021, will be available for his team, Northern Superchargers, coached by Andrew Flintoff, for a total of four matches. His availability will commence after the third Test concludes in Birmingham, as stated by the ECB in a statement.
Joining Stokes in The Hundred are a number of England batters: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, and Jamie Smith. Their participation will also be contingent on the conclusion of the West Indies series.
Regarding the availability of England’s bowlers, the ECB has stated that it will be dependent on their workload and international selection. However, the board has indicated that Gus Atkinson, Matthew Potts, and Dillon Pennington are all likely to feature in The Hundred from the early rounds. Chris Woakes is anticipated to join the tournament from Tuesday, August 6.
The ECB has expressed its expectation that the players chosen for the first Test against Sri Lanka, scheduled to take place at Old Trafford from August 21, will be accessible for The Hundred’s playoffs on August 17 and 18. England is set to host Sri Lanka for three Test matches, with the final two matches to be held in London at Lord’s from August 29 and the Oval from September 6.
