The Hundred: Meet the Manchester Originals

Manchester Originals will play their home games at Emirates Old Trafford

From one of the most destructive batsmen in world cricket to a 22-year-old spinning sensation who is the top-ranked women's Twenty20 bowler, here's BBC Sport's guide to the Manchester Originals.

The coaches: A winner & a Shaw thing?

Australian coach Simon Katich will lead Manchester Originals men's side, with former Head of England Women's Performance, Paul Shaw, coaching the women

Leading the Manchester Originals men's team is Australian Simon Katich.

Katich scored more than 5,000 international runs across all formats, before a successful transition to coaching saw him win back-to-back Caribbean Premier League titles with Trinbago Knight Riders in 2017 and 2018.

He is also the current head coach at Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League.

The 45-year-old says "pace bowlers will be key" in The Hundred, will encourage his batsmen to release the shackles and play with freedom and wants his fielders to demonstrate agility and athleticism in a tournament where every run counts.

Paul Shaw will oversee the Originals women's side. He may be a Yorkshireman by birth, but Shaw is current head coach at Lancashire and North West Thunder in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and will be familiar to many of the local players.

Shaw played a key role in the development of women's cricket when he was part of the England coaching set-up, as players transitioned from amateur to professional contracts in 2013-14.

Ones to watch: Universe Jos and lethal Lockie

Is Jos Buttler auditioning for a hair commercial here?

He's done it in domestic, franchise and international cricket around the world; one of - if not the - most devastating players in the sport, Jos Buttler is undoubtedly the key man for the men's side.

If 'Universe Jos' hits the ground running, the owners of the hotel overlooking the Old Trafford pitch may as well start ordering new windows now.

In May, Buttler scored his maiden T20 century for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL and Originals will be hoping he continues that form this summer.

New Zealand's Lockie Ferguson is our second one to watch for the men's side.

He bowls with express pace, averages a wicket every 11 balls in T20 international cricket... and he has a marvellous moustache. He'll fit right in in Manchester.

Ones to watch: Super Ecclestone & world-class Lee

Could Sophie Ecclestone spin Originals to glory? Will South Africa opener Lizelle Lee live up to her reputation?

Sophie Ecclestone's rise in the sport has been nothing short of spectacular.

After making her England debut at just 17, the Cheshire-born spinner has bamboozled some of the game's best batters on the way to becoming making the number-one ranked T20 bowler in the world.

Ecclestone, who is still only 22, will make runs hard to come by for opposing teams.

Often used to open the bowling in the shorter format, she could become the first cricketer to bowl in The Hundred when Originals take on Oval Invincibles in the first-ever 100-ball game.

If opener Lizelle Lee has her eye in from ball one, Originals could get off to a flier.

The South African is second in the ODI batting rankings and when she scores, she scores big.

She heads to Old Trafford in fine form, having dismantled India bowlers in a recent limited-overs series which included a sublime match-winning 132 not out in a one-day match.

The young guns: 'A future England captain' & 'The best hands in the country'

The Hundred could be a breakthrough season for Tom Lammonby and Eleanor Threlkeld

When batsman Tom Lammonby was selected by Originals in this year's draft, BBC Sport reader Kevin Field tweeted us to say "Lammonby is a great pick by Manchester. Been following him since he was 15/16. A future England captain".

Making a trip up the M5 and M6, the 21-year-old Somerset batsman will be a long way from his home in Devon.

Lammonby was somewhat of a surprise pick by the Originals, given that most of the achievements so far have come in the longer format; he was the third highest run-scorer in last year's Bob Willis Trophy.

But coach Katich sees something in the left-handed youngster who, despite only having played 22 T20s for his county, averages 21 at an impressive strike-rate of 156.

"She has got phenomenal hands - one of the best in the country," is what England legend Sarah Taylor had to say about 22-year-old wicketkeeper Ellie Threlkeld.

Threlkeld has come through the ranks at Lancashire, having played for her home county from under-11s right through to the senior side.

While her smart glovework alone can help win matches, Threlkeld is also a competent number three batter who could add valuable runs.

Why will Manchester Originals win The Hundred?

Kate Cross is a 'hit-the-deck' bowler, but will she lead the party after a Manchester Originals win?

The men's team will win the competition because of the depth of their bowling, which includes game-changing global stars and domestic performers who have achieved so much in county cricket.

New Zealand's Ferguson can trouble any batsmen by reaching speeds of up to 90mph, while the signings of Jamie Overton, Steven Finn and Richard Gleeson bring a huge amount of experience.

Overton and Finn, like Ferguson, can bowl with some serious pace and Gleeson will be playing on his home ground at Emirates Old Trafford.

And then there's the leg-spin of Lancashire's Matt Parkinson, who earlier this year bowled a delivery which some social media fans described as the "ball of the century".

The women's side will win The Hundred because of their balanced batting line-up, with international team-mates Lee and Mignon du Preez bringing a bit of South African flair alongside India T20 captain and reliable all-rounder Harmanpreet Kaur.

There are a number of young, talented players who will get the opportunity to showcase their talent, like 22-year old Georgie Boyce; a batter who has the potential to develop a formidable opening partnership with Lee.

Current England pace bowler Kate Cross and former spinner Alex Hartley are Lancashire team-mates, best friends, share a flat and host the No Balls podcast on BBC Sounds. The two will line-up side-by-side once for the Originals.

A happy team is often a successful team and if Cross and Hartley are anything to go by, Originals will be playing cricket with a smile on their face.

Why they won't win The Hundred?

Will Jos Buttler be left wondering what went wrong?

Losing players like Jos Buttler to international fixtures may prove to be the men's side's downfall.

And will Katich's approach of mixing youth and experience backfire? Will Originals regret not selecting more players at the peak of their professional careers?

On one hand you have batsman Wayne Madsen, at 37, the eldest member of the team, while Gleeson, 33, has suffered career-threatening back injuries and 32-year-old Finn is also at the back end of his career.

And then there are the likes of Lammonby, who only made his debut in 2019, and 22-year-old spinner Tom Hartley who played his first professional match less than 12 months ago.

Half of the 14-woman squad are under the age of 23; will they be able to handle the pressure?

There is no doubt the side is talented, but it also raw in parts, perhaps this year is a little too soon to be thinking about a title challenge?