50 days until Manchester Originals and The Hundred return to Emirates Old Trafford: Here’s everything you need to know
- The Hundred returns to Emirates Old Trafford on the 25th July for the first of four action-packed Manchester Originals home fixtures
- World number one bowler Sophie Ecclestone and England men’s white-ball captain Jos Buttler return to captain the Manchester Originals men’s and women’s team for its new season
- Early bird tickets now available - deadline 27th June 2024 - tickets are selling fast for the Northern Superchargers derby on 11 August
In less than 50 days, Manchester Originals and The Hundred will return to the iconic venue, Emirates Old Trafford, for its fourth year, bringing another unmissable season of cricket and music entertainment. It follows a record-breaking third season for Manchester’s official team, which saw a record 59,673 tickets sold across its four home matches.
Arriving in Manchester for its fourth year, The Hundred boasts a formidable reputation for providing audiences of all ages with an exhilarating day out - fusing world-class cricket with fresh entertainment from up-and-coming music acts to create an electric atmosphere.
With home games starting from the 25th July, Manchester fans will have four opportunities to catch the excitement at Emirates Old Trafford, as follows:
- Thursday 25 July – Manchester Originals vs Welsh Fire – (women’s start 3:00 pm, men’s start 6:30 pm) tickets selling fast.
- Monday 29 July – Manchester Originals vs Trent Rockets – (women’s start 3:00 pm, men’s start 6:35 pm)
- Tuesday 6 August – Manchester Originals vs Oval Invincibles – (women’s start 11:30 am, men’s start 3:00 pm)
- Sunday 11 August – Manchester Originals vs Northern Superchargers (women’s start 2:30 pm, men’s start 6:00 pm) tickets selling fast.
High-calibre cricket
Combining a short, fast form of cricket, the concept of The Hundred is simple: 100 balls per team, most runs win. Each game lasts less than three hours and every ball counts.
Returning once again to captain the Manchester Originals men’s team is England white-ball captain Jos Buttler, whose 391 runs in last year’s competition secured him the title of highest-run scorer.
The women’s team will also see the return of its 2023 captain Sophie Ecclestone, who is the number one women’s bowler in the world. Also returning to Manchester Originals for another year are England men’s duo Jamie Overton and Josh Tongue, as well as Emma Lamb and Mahika Gaur.
Manchester Originals has also bagged several world-class international talents. They include Australian wicket keeper Beth Mooney and all-rounder Sophie Molineux on the women’s team, and Sikandar Raza, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Pakistan leg-spinner Usama Mir on the men’s team.
Together, they will drive forward the Manchester Originals in building on its previous successes and deliver another exhilarating season of cricket.
A sport - music fusion
Amplifying the atmosphere of the tournament, the games will feature a performance from some of the most exciting up-and-coming music acts, in partnership with BBC Music Introducing. Previous headline performers have included Manchester-based chart-topping indie-pop band Lottery Winners.
With the official line-up of performers at Emirates old Trafford released on the 11th June, the games will see confirmed acts perform on a stage shared by the likes of Harry Styles and the Arctic Monkeys.
Fun for everyone
The competition aims to make cricket more accessible to new audiences and inspire the next generation of fans. Across the last four years, Manchester Originals has firmly established a diverse and dedicated fan base, reaching all corners of the Greater Manchester community and beyond. In the 2023 season alone, 48% of ticket buyers for the games at Emirates old Trafford were new to cricket, 30% of ticket buyers were female, and 22% of the tickets were for juniors.
Tickets
The early bird ticket deadline is fast approaching - ending on the 27th June. Prices start from £5 for juniors under the age of 16, and £17 for adults. Under 3s go free of charge. Tickets are selling fast for the home opener versus Welsh Fire on Thursday 25 July and the derby against Northern Superchargers on Sunday 11 August with 10,000 tickets already sold. You can get your tickets at thehundred.com/tickets.
Games will also be broadcast live on Sky Sports and BBC throughout the competition – so whether in ground or watching from home – you’ll be right amongst all the action.
Sophie Ecclestone, women's captain of Manchester Originals, said: “Manchester Originals has really made its mark over the past few years, having a significant impact on communities across the region. The fanbase that the team has managed to build is particularly incredible - it’s an honour to be a part of something that is introducing so many more people to cricket, and reaching audiences that might have previously thought the sport wasn't for them. I’m always chuffed to see the number of junior fans that come to the games and young girls who are inspired to get involved in the sport. Bringing cricket to the next generation is a huge part of what The Hundred is about and something I’m grateful to be a part of.”
Jos Buttler, men’s captain, added: “To get to the final in successive years is a fantastic achievement and our aim is to go one better in the 2024 season. I’m confident in our ability to build on our achievements and make our amazing fans across the Greater Manchester community proud!”
For more information about The Hundred, and available tickets, visit: https://www.thehundred.com/tickets?matches=group