Veteran cricketer James Anderson, who retired from international cricket in 2024, was not selected for the 2025 men’s Hundred draft despite entering without a reserve price. The 42-year-old aims to play T20s with Lancashire. Key signings included Afghanistan’s Noor Ahmad and New Zealand’s Michael Bracewell, each securing £200,000 contracts. David Warner made his Hundred debut with London Spirit for £120,000, reuniting with coach Justin Langer. Other notable deals included Jamie Overton and Zak Crawley. A total of 270 domestic and 350 overseas players registered for this year’s draft, with additional slots available via a wildcard draft in May.
The 42-year-old, who finished his international career at the beginning of the 2024 summer, had entered the draft after signing a one-year contract with Lancashire for the upcoming season. Although Anderson hasn’t participated in T20 cricket for over ten years, his new contract will allow him to play in the T20 Blast. Despite entering the draft without a reserve price, he did not secure one of the 26 available domestic positions across the eight teams. There remains the possibility of him being selected as a Wildcard pick for The Hundred.
Bracewell was acquired by the Southern Brave, who were the runners-up in 2024, and his substantial price tag reflects his performances with the Black Caps in their recent Champions Trophy run. As an essential contributor to both their spin bowling and lower-order batting, he shone in last Sunday’s final, taking 2 for 28 after scoring a crucial unbeaten 53 that forced India to earn their victory.
England players also benefited financially, with Jamie Overton landing a £200,000 deal with Spirit after establishing himself as the designated seam-bowling allrounder in ODIs and T20Is over the past year. He will be accompanied by Jamie Smith at Lord’s as their centrally contracted England pick. Zak Crawley, who was released by Spirit, secured a £120,000 contract with Northern Superchargers.
In other news, Chris Woakes’ signing by Fire as their designated England player prompted a chain reaction that enabled David Willey to secure a lucrative £200,000 contract with Rockets, while fellow left-arm seamer David Payne filled the £120,000 contract left vacant by Willey in Cardiff.
Fire had initially intended to utilize their right-to-match option for Willey. However, they were unable to do so when Rockets chose Willey in the top tier, having already filled both of their spots with direct overseas signing Steve Smith and Jonny Bairstow. Bairstow was previously Fire’s central contract player before his transition to a £200,000 spot to acquire Woakes. Payne, who entered this year’s draft seeking a better deal after joining Fire for £40,000 in the inaugural draft of 2019, achieved his goal.
Harry Moore, the highly-touted 17-year-old fast bowler from Derbyshire, has been signed by Birmingham Phoenix for £41,500, while Durham batter Ben McKinney was rewarded for an impressive winter with the England Lions by Manchester Originals, who selected him with their £78,500 pick. His Lions teammate Rocky Flintoff, the son of Lions and Superchargers head coach Andrew, was not drafted.
In total, 270 domestic and 350 overseas cricketers registered for the men’s Hundred draft. The eight teams will have the opportunity to add two more players to their rosters in the wildcard draft scheduled for May, ahead of the competition starting on August 5.