The Hundred: Meet London Spirit
- Published
Eoin Morgan will be playing for the first time since stepping down as England's limited-overs captain
After struggling last year, London Spirit men are looking for second-season success, while the women will hope to carry their strong finish to 2021 over. Here's BBC Sport's guide to the Lord's-based side...
How did they perform last year?
The only way is up for the Spirit men's team after managing only one win from eight and finishing bottom of the table last year.
With England's World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan in charge, they promised much and delivered little. Although, it must be noted there were many call-ups for international duty that impacted the side.
It took until their sixth game for them to claim their sole victory when they beat Manchester Originals by six runs.
The women's side boasted a wealth of international talent and began with a convincing win over Birmingham Phoenix. But three losses on the trot followed and they found themselves scratching around at the bottom of the table.
They rediscovered some form when they beat Northern Superchargers at Headingley, with Deandra Dottin firing on all cylinders as she smashed an unbeaten 50 in their successful chase.
Two wins from their final three games saw them finish them fourth in the table, narrowly missing out on the eliminator.
Ones to watch: Jordan Thompson & Adam Rossington
Jordan Thompson and Adam Rossington had a fine showing in this year's T20 Blast - can they do it again in The Hundred?
Jordan Thompson starred against Surrey in the T20 Blast quarter-final this year as he bowled Yorkshire to Finals Day. His ability to stem the runs late in an innings is crucial in the short format and his pace is up there with some of the fastest in the competition.
He then hit a 18-ball fifty in the semi-final against Lancashire and can hit the ball to all parts.
Adam Rossington showed what he can do last year, almost single-handedly taking Spirit to their only victory. His power hitting is something to behold at the top of the order.
In July, he reached 2,000 T20 runs during an innings in which he smashed 95 off 50 balls and will want to carry that into this tournament.
Ones to watch: Beth Mooney & Naomi Dattani
Beth Mooney headlines a host of international additions, while Naomi Dattani provides the London-born spirit
Australia's Beth Mooney showed her remarkable determination in the Ashes by playing with her jaw wired shut and then carried this form in to her side's successful World Cup campaign.
She doesn't launch sixes yet piles on the runs and can bat anywhere in the order. Mooney was named the leading women's cricketer in the world in 2020 and was the leading run-scorer for Perth Scorchers on their way to the title in the 2021-22 Women's Big Bash.
Naomi Dattani is a born and bred Londoner. She can open the batting and scores quickly, while her left-arm medium pace offers a great change in the middle overs.
She's been in good form for Sunrisers and brings the intelligence that saw her once represent Loughborough on University Challenge.
Young guns: Jamie Smith & Grace Scrivens
Jamie Smith could prove a shrew domestic wildcard selection, while Grace Scrivens could make a name for herself this season
The 21-year-old batter Jamie Smith was brought in as a late wildcard but will be a huge asset to Spirit.
The Surrey player is also a talented wicketkeeper and has a mature head on his young shoulders, having captained his county in the Royal London Cup last year.
A regular in all three formats for Surrey, he has also represented England U19 and is no stranger to the big stage. He can score freely and has a first-class high-score of 234 not out.
Grace Scrivens has been tipped to represent, and perhaps even captain, England at the inaugural women's under-19 World Cup in January.
The all-rounder, 18, is a confident left-handed batter and gets good turn with her right-arm off-breaks.
She's been in good form for the Sunrisers and already has a couple of fifties to her name in this year's Rachel Heyhoe Flint trophy. A name to keep an eye out for this summer and beyond.
Why they will win The Hundred
The men will win it because of the Morgan factor. He has left behind the pressures of international cricket, remains an inspirational captain and will want to prove he still has plenty to offer with the bat,
Following the death of Australia legend and former coach Shane Warne, Morgan will now be working with Trevor Bayliss, re-establishing the partnership that took England to World Cup glory in 2019. They will be determined to perform well in honour of the late, great leg-spinner Warne.
The women came so close to the eliminator last year and will be determined to go further in 2022. They've also brought in some real talent, including two World Cup-winning Aussies and the Kerr sisters Amelia and Jess from New Zealand.
They have a collective strength across the board and it looks like a well-balanced side with all bases covered.
Why they won't win the Hundred
While Spirit have power hitters in Glenn Maxwell and Kieron Pollard, the latter is coming back from knee surgery.
The team look a bit light on batting overall and a lot will depend on whether Morgan can reverse the slump in form that led to his international retirement.
A number of the women's squad will be coming into the side off the back of an intense stint at the Commonwealth Games and Spirit will hope their players are riding high rather than facing a post-tournament slump in energy or form.
Although that cohort does not include England captain Heather Knight, who has been ruled out of the entire tournament with a hip injury, and will be a massive loss.