Lancashire Seeks IPL Partnership for Manchester Originals in The Hundred

Lancashire County Cricket Club is actively seeking a partnership with an Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise to jointly operate the Manchester Originals franchise in The Hundred from 2025 onwards. The club has been actively engaging with potential investors over the past month, with the ECB set to distribute prospectuses for the sale of stakes in each of the eight Hundred teams early next month.

Lancashire's interest in partnering with an IPL franchise stems from its strategic focus on growing its profile in India. The club has organized pre-season tours for both men's and women's teams, played friendlies against teams affiliated with Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and signed Indian players such as Shreyas Iyer, Washington Sundar, and Venkatesh Iyer as overseas players.

As the owners of Emirates Old Trafford, Lancashire will receive a 51% stake in Manchester Originals as part of the Hundred's sale process. The club has emphasized its preference for a "sporting partner" rather than a purely financial investor. Chief executive Daniel Gidney expressed the club's desire to work with an IPL franchise, citing the potential opportunities for both parties.

"Our preference is a partner who will partner with us on cricket, who can really help us grow our cricket, and clearly we have a strong interest in India," Gidney said. "We'd love to work with an IPL, of course, because of the opportunities that would bring - both for us and for them… our pathway is the best in the country, and so is our medical staff."

The ECB is overseeing the sale of stakes, with the Raine Group and Deloitte acting as financial advisors. However, Lancashire will play an active role in selecting a partner. The club has hosted officials from several IPL franchises, including Lucknow Super Giants, during the Hundred.

The two London Hundred franchises, London Spirit and Oval Invincibles, are expected to command the highest valuations, followed by Manchester Originals and Birmingham Phoenix. Gidney emphasized the value proposition of Manchester Originals, stating that the club offers the best value for investment.

"As I've said to different people from that part of the world, the first round is being run by the ECB, so you need to get your number up," Gidney said. "If you want an ego and to pay a lot of money, then London is your gig. There'll be loads of people that want London, but there's only two teams, and one of those only wants a passive investor so it narrows your choice down. Outside of that, I said to people: 'If you want cheap, we are not it. If you want the best value, we are it."

Gidney also suggested that the ECB consider increasing the number of overseas players per team in the Hundred from three to four, as well as implementing a revised draft system that would allow for more "local heroes" in Hundred squads.

Tags: #Lancashire, #ManchesterOriginals, #TheHundred, #IPL, #Cricket