The Hundred will make history in its opening fixture as it launches with a women’s match this summer.

The action-packed new 100-ball competition – designed to open cricket up to more families and young people - will start with Oval Invincibles hosting Manchester Originals at the Kia Oval on Wednesday, July 21 before the same two men’s sides follow suit the following day.

It will be the first time a major UK team sporting event has launched men’s and women’s competitions alongside each other and headlined with a women’s match. The match will be televised live on Sky and BBC.

Newly announced Manchester Originals signing Sophie Ecclestone said: “The thought of making history and potentially bowling the first ball of The Hundred is really exciting. It is fantastic news that the competition is launching with a women’s match and we can’t wait to get The Hundred off to the best possible start.”

Beth Barrett-Wild, Head of The Hundred Women’s Competition, added: “Opening The Hundred with a standalone women’s match represents a historic moment, not just for cricket and women’s cricket, but more widely for sport.

"We are really proud to be able to make this announcement, and I cannot wait to see our brilliant female players walk out at the Kia Oval on July 21. The schedule really epitomises how The Hundred is changing the game – putting gender-balance at its heart and presenting men and women on the same platform, with the same scale of ambition from the very start.”

The Hundred aims to make cricket more accessible to families and young people by fusing world-class, fast-paced cricket with family-friendly entertainment off the pitch.

It features eight brand new teams based in Birmingham, Cardiff, Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham, Southampton and two in London.

The entire competition, including all men’s and women’s games will be broadcast live on Sky. The Hundred will also be covered extensively across the BBC, including live television coverage of 10 men’s games and up to eight live women’s matches, including The Hundred Final and the women’s opening game.

After the opening two matches, the rest of the schedule will see the men’s and women’s teams both playing on the same day, at the same venue, with the ambition to elevate women’s cricket through The Hundred.

Tickets are incredibly good value for money and give fans the chance to see a women’s and a men’s game, plus added entertainment throughout.

The teams finishing second and third in the league stage will meet each other at the Kia Oval in The Hundred Eliminator on Friday August 20 to compete for a place in The Hundred Final against the league winners.

Both the men’s and women’s finals will take place the following day (August 21) at Lord’s.

Welsh Fire start their campaign away at Northern Superchargers on July 24 and their women's squad includes Somerset's Sophie Luff, Lauren Filer, Natasha Wraith and Georgia Hennessy, with Tom Banton and Ryan Higgins in the men's.

They have home fixtures on July 27, July 31, August 6 and August 18 at Sophia Gardens.

Roelof van der Merwe is in the London Spirit squad, with Craig Overton and Max Waller representing Southern Brave, as Lewis Gregory wears the colours of Trent Rockets.

*Tickets for The Hundred will go on sale to those signed up at thehundred.com through a priority window on April 7, with general sale beginning on April 21.

Affordability for families has been prioritised with tickets for U16s at £5 and adult tickets starting at £10 for two games (women’s and men’s match) while kids U5 go free. Refund policies will be in place if matches are impacted by Covid.

Visit thehundred.com to find out more and to sign up for priority ticket access.

Full list of fixtures (all are both men’s and women’s matches unless stated)

21 July Oval Invincibles v Manchester Originals (women’s), Kia Oval

22 July Oval Invincibles v Manchester Originals (men’s), Kia Oval

23 July Birmingham Phoenix v London Spirit, Edgbaston

24 July Trent Rockets v Southern Brave, Trent Bridge

Northern Superchargers v Welsh Fire, Emerald Headingley

25 July London Spirit v Oval Invincibles, Lord’s

Manchester Originals v Birmingham Phoenix, Emirates Old Trafford

26 July Trent Rockets v Northern Superchargers, Trent Bridge

27 July Welsh Fire v Southern Brave, Sophia Gardens

28 July Manchester Originals v Northern Superchargers, Emirates Old Trafford

29 July London Spirit v Trent Rockets, Lord’s

30 July Southern Brave v Birmingham Phoenix, Ageas Bowl

31 July Welsh Fire v Manchester Originals, Sophia Gardens

Northern Superchargers v Oval Invincibles, Emerald Headingley

01 August Birmingham Phoenix v Trent Rockets, Egdbaston

London Spirit v Southern Brave, Lord’s

02 August Oval Invincibles v Welsh Fi, Kia Oval

03 August London Spirit v Northern Superchargers, Lord’s

04 August Birmingham Phoenix v Oval Invincibles, Edgbaston

05 August Manchester Originals v Southern Brave, Emirates Old Trafford

06 August Welsh Fire v Trent Rockets, Sophia Gardens

07 August Southern Brave v Northern Superchargers, Ageas Bowl

08 August Oval Invincibles v Trent Rockets, Kia Oval

09 August Birmingham Phoenix v Welsh Fire, Edgbaston

10 August Manchester Originals v London Spirit, Emirates Old Trafford

11 August Southern Brave v Welsh Fire, Ageas Bowl

12 August Northern Superchargers v Manchester Originals, Emerald Headingley

13 August Trent Rockets v Birmingham Phoenix, Trent Bridge

14 August Oval Invincibles v London Spirit, Kia Oval

15 August Trent Rockets v Manchester Originals, Trent Bridge

16 August Southern Brave v Oval Invincibles, Ageas Bowl

17 August Northern Superchargers v Birmingham Phoenix, Emerald Headingley

18 August Welsh Fire v London Spirit, Sophia Gardens

20 August Women's and Men's Eliminator, Kia Oval

21 August Men's and Women's Finals, Lord’s