Rising star wicketkeeper Ellie Threlkeld is thrilled to be playing in the first match of the new The Hundred cricket tournament – even though she and her Manchester Originals team will now have to wait until July to launch it.

There was a lot of buzz around the new cricket tournament, ‘The Hundred’ a new 100-ball take on short form cricket which the ECB hope can compete with events such as the IPL and the Big Bash League.

Due to the pandemic, however, the tournament has had to be rescheduled for this summer.

For the Originals wicketkeeper Ellie Threlkeld, who plays for Lancashire Women, this has increased her excitement to compete in the Inaugural competition.

“I think it was the right decision to cancel the season,” she said.

Threlkeld believes it’s important for the fans to be able to view this form of cricket as its what brings the energy to the game but also the cancellation of the season was important to make sure the competition was played at it highest standard.

She said: “We wouldn’t have been able to get any overseas players.” And that was one of the main positives for the tournament.

Threlkeld has been part of the Lancashire women’s set up at Old Trafford for a few years, so the decision to play for the Originals came easy to her.

“In my head I was never going to play for anyone else other than Manchester,” she said.

Discussions were held with other teams which Threlkeld found a strange process.

“The women’s game hasn’t been professional long, so the talks surrounding money was a bit surreal,” she said, but the going to Manchester was a “no-brainer”.

The Originals’ first game is against the Oval Invincibles on July 21, the first game to be played in the Hundred tournament.

Threlkeld sees it a big statement from the ECB for the Women to launch the Hundred.

Equality is one of the key aspects of this tournament with the Men’s and Women’s team playing on the same day in the same stadium to increase exposure to the Women’s game.

“Just to be involved with the men is important as the ECB is trying to make it as equal as possible, not just the money side but also the training facilities as well,” she said.

For Threlkeld playing in bigger stadiums has often been quite daunting due to the lack of crowds, but she believes this style of tournament will bring larger fan turnouts especially after lockdown.

Tickets for the Hundred games are available on general sale on April 21 with adult tickets starting at £10. Below is also a map of all the local cricket clubs in Salford.

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