All-rounder Danielle Gibson, pace bowler Issy Wong, and 18-year-old spinner Tilly Cortneen-Coleman earned deals over £100,000 at the inaugural Women’s Hundred auction in London.
Australia’s wicketkeeper Beth Mooney and former New Zealand captain Sophie Devine fetched the highest prices, bought for £210,000 by Trent Rockets and Welsh Fire respectively.
Despite recent back injuries, 24-year-old Gibson was sold for £190,000 to Sunrisers Leeds, while 23-year-old Wong went to Southern Brave for £130,000. Cortneen-Coleman secured a £105,000 deal after competing with London Spirit and MI London.
Other players exceeding £100,000 included spinner Linsey Smith, all-rounder Em Arlott, and batter Paige Scholfield.
This auction marked a shift in the Hundred, as teams previously used a draft system to assemble squads. The women’s competition allowed each team £880,000 to build squads, while the men’s competition has a £2.05m pot.
Direct signings allowed up to four players per team before the auction. Established internationals like Nat Sciver-Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Ellyse Perry, and Smriti Mandhana were already secured.
The amounts spent represent a huge increase from the first Hundred season in 2021, when the top wage was £15,000. In 2025, the top-earning women made £65,000. Critics, including Sam Billings, highlighted the disparity, saying the draft system was fairer for overall players.
The England and Wales Cricket Board and franchises also confirmed players cannot be excluded based on nationality, addressing concerns around Pakistani athletes. Two Pakistani women, Fatima Sana and Sadia Iqbal, were in the auction, though neither is expected to be bought. Seventeen Pakistani players are listed in the men’s auction, including Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi, and spinner Usman Tariq.
