The inaugural auction for the Women's Hundred on March 11, 2026, in London resulted in several players securing contracts exceeding £100,000, marking a significant rise in salaries for women's cricket in the UK. English talents Danielle Gibson, Issy Wong, and Tilly Corteen-Coleman were among the top buys, while overseas stars Beth Mooney and Sophie Devine fetched the highest fees of £210,000 each. This shift from the previous draft system follows substantial investments in the competition's franchises.
The auction, held at Piccadilly Lights in London, represented the first time squads for the Hundred were assembled through bidding rather than a draft. All-rounder Danielle Gibson, aged 24, was acquired by Sunrisers Leeds for £190,000 despite a recent back injury. Pace bowler Issy Wong, 23, joined Southern Brave for £130,000, and 18-year-old spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman returned to Southern Brave for £105,000, a sharp increase from her £12,500 wage the previous year. Corteen-Coleman, an England Under-19 international, had previously played two seasons with the team, which lost the final to Northern Superchargers last year.
Overseas players commanded premium prices, with Australia's Beth Mooney going to Trent Rockets for £210,000 after a bidding war with Manchester Super Giants, and New Zealand's Sophie Devine to Welsh Fire for the same amount. Other notable deals included spinner Linsey Smith, all-rounder Em Arlott, and batter Paige Scholfield, all surpassing £100,000. Pre-auction signings featured England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt at £140,000 to Trent Rockets and pace bowler Lauren Bell at £140,000 to Southern Brave.
Each team had a £880,000 budget, making the Hundred the second most lucrative women's cricket league globally, behind India's Women's Premier League. The event stems from the sale of stakes in the eight franchises last year, raising over £500 million for cricket in England and Wales. Total investment in women's salaries reached up to £7.2 million for 2026.
However, Oval Invincibles captain Sam Billings criticized the format on X, stating: "Auction will always only benefit a few and probably deserved for those few players. However, the disparity is too much. The draft structure was clearly far better from an overall player standpoint." The men's auction followed on March 12.
