Dani Gibson, the Cheltenham-born all-rounder, has made headlines by securing a staggering £190,000 contract at the inaugural Hundred auction, making her the highest-paid English woman in the competition. This remarkable payday not only marks a personal milestone for Gibson but also signifies a substantial leap in the financial landscape of women’s cricket in the UK.
The Hundred’s first-ever auction in a major professional sport witnessed unprecedented investment in the women’s game. Previously, the top salary in women’s cricket was capped at £65,000 as recently as last summer, but this auction saw a dramatic increase, with Gibson’s contract far surpassing earlier figures. The surge in spending follows a significant cash injection after private investors purchased stakes in all eight franchises. Notably, the newly rebranded Headingley franchise, Sunrisers Leeds, aggressively pursued Gibson, ultimately securing her services during the auction held at London’s Piccadilly Lights.
Despite battling injuries and not having represented England since October 2024, the powerful and versatile Gibson clinched a deal exceeding the pay of prominent national players such as England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and pace bowler Lauren Bell, who had signed earlier as direct pre-auction picks. Now playing for Somerset, Gibson is among a select group of 30 players recently assembled in South Africa for an England training camp and intra-squad series. She carries the highest price tag of any player present, underscoring her value despite her relatively junior status in the national setup.
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Only two overseas stars commanded higher bids: Australian batter Beth Mooney and New Zealand all-rounder Sophie Devine, each securing £210,000 from Trent Rockets and Welsh Fire respectively.
The auction also highlighted emerging talent like 18-year-old left-arm spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman, who earned a remarkable six-figure contract of £105,000, returning to Southern Brave. Corteen-Coleman, the Hundred’s youngest-ever player at 16 in 2024, is a promising specialist in powerplay overs and could potentially feature in this summer’s T20 World Cup at home, although she currently ranks behind world-class players Sophie Ecclestone and Linsey Smith. Smith herself earned £100,000 from Birmingham Phoenix, joining three other English players who reached six-figure contracts: Issy Wong (£105,000, Southern Brave), Em Arlott (£110,000, Welsh Fire), and Paige Scholfield (£115,000, Manchester Super Giants). Rising star Davina Perrin, who made history by scoring the first women’s century in The Hundred last year, was signed by Birmingham Phoenix for £50,000—considered a bargain given her impact.
While some notable names such as Lauren Winfield-Hill, former captain of Oval Invincibles in 2025, went unsold in the first round, the women’s squads are tasked with constructing their teams within a £880,000 budget. In contrast, the men’s teams have a budget of £2.05 million, with their auction scheduled for the following day.
This groundbreaking auction represents a transformative moment for women’s cricket, promising greater opportunities and recognition for female athletes in the sport.