IPL's Sunrisers to buy Yorkshire Hundred franchise for £100m: Report

Indian Premier League (IPL) side Sunrisers Hyderabad are set to become the first 100 per cent owners of an English cricket Hundred franchise after agreeing to buy Yorkshire's Northern Superchargers for a reported £100 million ($125 million).

The Sun Group are the third investors into the eight-team Hundred from the lucrative IPL, following the Ambani family, whose Reliance Industries are behind the Mumbai Indians, and RPSG, in charge of the Lucknow Super Giants. But the BBC reported on Wednesday they would be the first organisation to buy an entire Hundred team.

"We are delighted to be entering into an exclusivity period with the Sun Group, and will be continuing our conversations with them in the coming weeks with a view to setting the Northern Superchargers up for long-term and sustained success," Yorkshire chief executive Sanjay Patel said later on Wednesday.

Patel, previously the managing director of the Hundred, added: "It is clear that they are aligned to the values and future direction of the club and will play a huge part in ensuring we can go on to achieve great success in the coming years."

Selling the Superchargers could help Yorkshire, one of the cornerstones of English cricket, clear a £15 million debt the club owes to a trust established by chairman Colin Graves.

All deals now enter an eight-week exclusivity period in order to finalise the partnerships.

The Superchargers have yet to enjoy much success in the Hundred, a 100 balls per side competition where teams field both men's and women's sides. But they do have high-profile figures in men's head coach Andrew Flintoff and star players such as Harry Brook and Adil Rashid.

The Ambanis have negotiated a reported £60 million fee with Surrey for a 49 percent stake in the Oval Invincibles, while Manchester Originals have joined forces with RPSG.

If GMR, who already own both IPL side Delhi Capitals and English county Hampshire, acquire a 49 per cent share in Southern Brave it will mean four of the eight Hundred teams are bankrolled by Indian finance.

The England and Wales Cricket Board, who have so far declined to comment, are seeking partners for 49 per cent stakes in each Hundred team, with the host clubs gifted the other 51 per cent.

Last week, a Silicon Valley consortium led by Nikesh Arora, an Indian-American who heads up US cyber-security company Palo Alto Networks, agreed to buy 49 percent of the Lord's-based London Spirit franchise for a reported £145 million.

Warwickshire and Glamorgan, meanwhile, have also agreed 49 percent deals for the Birmingham Phoenix and Welsh Fire respectively, with a stake in Trent Rockets up for grabs as well.

The six sales so far come to an estimated total of £466 million, the majority of which will be split among the 18 first-class counties, Lord's owners Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and the recreational game.

The Hundred is controversial as it deprives established teams of key players at the height of the season. But the ECB insist funds raised from sales of Hundred stakes will support the 18 traditional counties.

Agence France-Presse