<\/p>\n
W<\/span>hen Jamie Overton reported to Lord\u2019s last Friday for the start of the new Hundred season, he experienced something that, even in the often head-spinning world of franchise cricket, was extraordinary, potentially unique. Returning to a team he played for in 2025, he would have looked around the dressing room and seen none of his former teammates. He is the only survivor of the men\u2019s squad from last year, part of a team that will be led by a new head coach, assisted by new coaches for batting, fielding, spin and pace bowling.<\/p>\n \u201cIt definitely does feel like a different competition this year, because every team is effectively different,\u201d he says. \u201cOval Invincibles were the best side over the last three or four years, but that\u2019s spread out a little bit now and every side you look at them and go: \u2018Oh yeah, they\u2019ve got a good team.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to be a tough competition, and I\u2019m going to be biased, but I\u2019m backing this squad. We\u2019ve got a lot of firepower, a lot of wicket-taking potential and we\u2019ve got a hell of a lot of experience. We\u2019ve just got to go out and perform well.\u201d<\/p>\n The Spirit women\u2019s squad is twice as settled, in that among the playing group they have two veterans of 2025: Charlie Dean, who has taken over as permanent captain having stood in for the injured Heather Knight (now the general manager) in 2025; and Grace Harris. \u201cIt\u2019s a little bit weird, but it\u2019s not that bad,\u201d Harris says.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s only bad if you miss friends. I really enjoyed playing with Sarah Glenn [now at Southern Brave] and with Danny Gibson [now captaining Sunrisers Leeds]. I enjoyed playing with a few of the London Spirit girls that were around last season, but it\u2019s not like they\u2019ve completely gone missing. They\u2019re going to be playing for other teams so we\u2019ll still see them around.\u201d<\/p>\n