MANY of the biggest names in world cricket are returning to the Ageas Bowl in 2022, as Southern Brave named the first 21 players in its combined men’s and women’s team squads for the second edition of The Hundred.

Southern Brave’s men retain 11 players from the squad that won the inaugural Hundred final at Lord’s last August, including local legend James Vince, cult spin hero Jake Lintott, and T20 World Cup semi-finalist Tymal Mills.

England pace bowler and World Cup winner Jofra Archer has also re-signed for his home team as Southern Brave’s centrally contracted men’s player.

Vince, Lintott, Mills and Archer are joined in the retained Southern Brave men’s squad by fast bowlers Chris Jordan, George Garton, and Craig Overton, batters Tim David, Ross Whiteley, and Alex Davies, plus Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis.

In the women’s team, Southern Brave’s squad, that reached last year’s Hundred final, retain England World Cup winner Anya Shrubsole and feature the number four ranked T20 International batter Smriti Mandhana, who returns to the Ageas Bowl after scoring 167 runs with a best of 78 last year.

Australian leg spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington, Brave’s leading wicket taker in 2021, and the Southern Vipers and England batting powerhouse Maia Bouchier join Shrubsole in the list of 10 players retained by Southern Brave women.

The women’s squad sees Shrubsole, Mandhana, Wellington, and Bouchier joined by England batters Danni Wyatt and Sophia Dunkley, fast bowlers Lauren Bell and Tara Norris, all-rounder Paige Scholfield, and wicket-keeper Carla Rudd.

For the first time, both men’s and women’s sides will be able to select an additional fourth overseas player in a wildcard draft in June – although teams will still only be able to field three overseas players in their XI.