Whether it be with the bat, ball or in the field, it was a brilliant opportunity for the newer names in the game to show what they were all about. Here’s a quick rundown of some of our favourite young players who made an impact at this year’s competition.

Will Smeed

The Birmingham Phoenix batter was given the opportunity to play four matches into The Hundred and impressed immediately. He was named Cazoo Match Hero in his first outing after scoring 36 off 13 balls. That included this monster six. Just look at the power in that shot!

He continued his powerful hitting throughout the group stage, but reached 50 for the first time against Welsh Fire. His 65 not out came from 38 deliveries and the 19-year-old finished the Phoenix innings with this ridiculous boundary.

Blake Cullen

A 19-year-old fast bowler, Blake Cullen took 10 wickets in the first year of The Hundred. He finished as the London Spirit Men’s player who got the most opposition batters out. Take a look at Cullen in action as he bowled Alex Blake when his team took on rivals, Oval Invincibles.

Ellie Threlkeld

The keeper learned her trade from Sarah Taylor of Welsh Fire, who is considered the best in the world. Threlkeld showed why she is so highly rated at just 22 with her quick reactions behind the stumps. In the first ever match of The Hundred, she stumped Marizanne Kapp with some wonderful work!

Threlkeld enjoyed taking the wickets of big names. She also stumped Jemimah Rodrigues (Northern Superchargers) and again, showed her lightning-fast reactions. Brilliant stuff from the Originals player - we can’t wait to see her in action again!

Jemimah Rodrigues

The next player needs no introduction. What a year she had in The Hundred. She first picked up a cricket bat when she was three-years-old, and 18 years later, it shows that practice really does make perfect. Just watch how she timed the ball for her first boundary of the match against London Spirit.

Rodrigues reached 50 three times in the competition and finished as the second highest run scorer in the Women’s Hundred. She ended on 249 total runs and made 92 (not out) of those against Welsh Fire. Here she is moving to 50 in that match. What a year for Jemimah!

Alice Capsey

Just 16-years-old at the start of the competition, Alice Capsey starred for the Oval Invincibles as they won the first ever Hundred. In the Invincibles second match of the year, Capsey made 59 runs in an innings that included 10 fours! Have a watch of one of those boundaries.

Capsey also proved herself to be a very handy bowler. In the second of the London rivals matches against one another, she bowled Deandra Dottin with a beauty. What a star, and definitely one to keep an eye out for in the future!

Lauren Bell

Nicknamed ‘The Shard’ because of her height, 20-year-old Lauren Bell took 12 wickets in the inaugural year of The Hundred. A dangerous pace bowler, Bell proved troublesome for most batters. Even one of the most experienced players, Nat Sciver, was out of ideas when it came to playing the Southern Brave star!

Bell was also one of the bowlers in 2021 to nearly get a hat-trick. She took two in two balls against the Oval Invincibles, but unfortunately couldn’t get that third! Here’s the second of those when she got Tash Farrant first ball!

Sarah Glenn

The 22-year-old all-rounder proved why she was part of the Trent Rockets team. When playing Birmingham Phoenix, Sarah Glenn took the crucial wicket of Katie Mack. Have a look!

Qais Ahmad

The 21-year-old spinner finished as the Welsh Fire Men’s highest wicket taker. He picked up a few big names along the way, and that included Dawid Malan of Trent Rockets. An important wicket!

Qais Ahmad had a stunning first match in The Hundred as he helped guide Welsh Fire to victory over the Northern Superchargers. His incredible figures of 4-13 changed the match in his team’s favour and that included the wicket of Harry Brook. He was on 62 at that point in the match and looking unstoppable. Brilliant bowling, Qais!