The Hundred: 5 most expensive Australian players in the draft

The Hundred is an inaugural 100- ball competition to be contested between eight teams from England and Wales. A total of 570 players have signed up for the draft, with 331 local players and 239 overseas. Among the overseas players, England’s tormentor in chief - Steve Smith, along with his fellow countrymen, are all set to dominate the player draft that is set to take place on Sunday. More than 40 Australian players have signed up for the draft, giving themselves a chance to get picked. We look at Australia’s five most expensive players in the draft: 

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Steve Smith

The sight of Steve Smith troubled England throughout the summer. Making his comeback after his suspension for the ball-tampering scandal, Smith set the Ashes on fire scoring 774 runs in the four Tests he played. Smith is the most expensive player in the draft alongside Lasith Malinga, Mitchell Starc, David Warner, Chris Gayle, and Kagiso Rabada with the £125,000 price tag. Whether he will replicate his form in a different format of the game remains to be seen, but he is bound to have some suitors.

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David Warner

David Warner, the Australian opener and Steve Smith’s partner in crime in the ball-tampering scandal, is also among the most expensive players. Warner’s exploits in the shorter format are well known despite his recent struggle for form. In the 2019 season of the IPL, he finished as the highest run-getter scoring a mammoth 692 runs in 12 games. Known for his ability to score quickly and play long innings, Warner will definitely be the one of the most sought after targets for teams.

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Mitchell Starc

Mitchell Starc is another Australian with the £125,000 price tag in The Hundred draft. He picked up 4 wickets in the only match he played in The Ashes. Starc was the leading wicket-taker in the World Cup, picking up 27 wickets in the 10 matches he played. His ability to bowl fast, swing the ball and bowl accurate yorkers are all valuable skills in limited-overs cricket. If Starc can remain fit, expect him to replicate his World Cup form. 

Aaron Finch

Australia’s limited-overs skipper, Aaron Finch, is definitely worth a pick at £100,000. Finch, who had a brilliant World Cup campaign amassed 507 runs in the 10 matches he played. Finch has scored two of the three highest scores in T20I cricket, with one of them coming in England. Finch’s ability to hit sixes at will, makes him one of the most exciting players in T20 cricket, something that should continue at The Hundred. 

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Chris Lynn

Chris Lynn is one of the most dangerous batsmen in the world when in full flow. An explosive top-order batsman, who can also play in the middle order, his batting exploits make him one of the most exciting players to watch in the T20 circuit. Lynn is BBL’s top run-getter and should definitely be among the first picks in the draft. A career strike rate of 141.96 in T20s speaks volumes of his abilities as a limited over specialist.

Glenn Maxwell

Australia’s swashbuckling middle-order batsman, Glenn Maxwell also is one among the £100,000 picks. Maxwell’s power-hitting along with an eye for playing unconventional strokes makes him one of the most difficult players to contain in limited-overs cricket. Add to that his ability to bowl miserly, makes him a valuable asset to any side he is part of. Maxwell has 3 T20I hundreds, only Rohit Sharma has scored more.