Fifteen-year-old, Davina Perrin who’s signed by Birmingham Phoenix has made history by becoming the youngest player in The Hundred. Sixteen-year-old, Mahika Gaur who’s signed by Manchester Originals are the two teen sensations the world will witness at this year’s The Hundred tournament that’ll see its 2nd edition get underway on the 11th of August.
Who is Davina Perrin – the youngest player to feature in The Hundred?
A dip in black British professional players got England and Wales Cricket Broad (ECB) started with an African-Caribbean Engagement (ACE) programme in 2020 with an initiative taken by former English cricket, Ebony Rainford Brent to help gain back the numbers of young black cricketers. The ACE programme now have a fruit ready for the world to witness in 15 y/o, Davina Perrin who’s a part of the ACE programme and also played for Central Sparks in this year’s Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Trophy as she now takes her next step in making it to The Hundred as the youngest signing.
Davina Perrin in her first couple of games, playing for Central Sparks got off to good starts with scores of 43 and 28, but then it wasn’t a lot. What her few outings have shown is snippets of what’s to come from the young 15 y/o talent Davina. She’s also handy with a ball in hand. A pure asset to be invested in.
Who is Mahika Gaur?
Mahika Gaur, the Manchester Original signing made her international debut for UAE at the age of 12 in 2019. The 16 y/o after promising international outings will be making it to the English shores for this summer’s edition of The Hundred. The left-arm seamer who as a 6 y/o watched an IPL game between Rajasthan and Delhi in the stadiums found a connection with the game, this much that she tried to copy her dad’s action and she soon got a good bowlers action, that’s when her dad brought her a bat and had a kick start to her cricketing journey. When the opportunity came her way, she made them count big, as in the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier where she finished the tournament with 11 wickets in 5 matches and was the 2nd highest wicket-taker. She’d bagged a hat-trick v Malaysia and a fifer v Nepal registering figures 5-2 in the same tournament. She’s also featured in the Thailand T20 Smash.
The Hundred in its 2nd edition bringing forward its young talents is very exciting for the game. Franchise signing teens should give an enormous bit of confidence to many more youngsters to know that they are being recognized and scouted, especially talents from the associated nations with the signing of Mahika Gaur should be inspired and expect a better future in this great game.
Loves all things female cricket