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Devine, Mooney top women's Hundred auction / Photo: © AFP
Devine, Mooney top women's Hundred auction
New Zealand's Sophie Devine and Beth Mooney of Australia topped the bidding in the inaugural auction for English cricket's women's Hundred on Wednesday, each securing deals worth £210,000 ($282,000)
All-rounder Dani Gibson went for £190,000 to Sunrisers Leeds to become the highest-paid Englishwoman while South Africa all-rounder Nadine de Klerk, who starred at the recent 50-over World Cup, went to London Spirit for £170,000.
Former New Zealand captain Devine will play for the Welsh Fire while Trent Rockets won the race to sign star batter and wicketkeeper Mooney, 32.
The Hundred has changed the way teams pick players this year. In the first auction of its kind in a major British sport, held in London, spending on women players skyrocketed.
Last year's cap, under a draft system, was £65,000.
Stakes in the eight city-based franchises -- which all have men's and women's teams -- were sold last year to private investors, raising huge sums for cricket in England and Wales.
Four of the franchises -- Manchester Super Giants, Sunrisers Leeds, MI London and Southern Brave -- are at least part-owned by companies that control Indian Premier League teams.
Women's teams each have £880,000 available to fill their squads while men's sides have a budget of £2.05 million. Their auction takes place on Thursday.
The 2026 edition of the Hundred starts on July 21 and runs for four weeks.
L. Solowjow--BTZ
