Manchester Super Giants, formerly known as Manchester Originals, are a franchise 100-ball cricket side based in the city of Manchester. The team represents Lancashire in the newly founded The Hundred competition,[1] beginning in the 2021 season, and playing at Old Trafford.
In May 2019, the England and Wales Cricket Board had applied for trademarks for six of the eight Hundred franchises, with those based at The Oval and Old Trafford the only absentees. It was not until June that the name Manchester Originals was confirmed, as was the fact that the franchise would represent just one county, Lancashire.[2] Other names had been rumoured in the press, including Manchester Storm[3] and Manchester Bees, as well as a name featuring "Lancashire" amid fears that a Manchester team would alienate fans from outside of the city.[2]
The Originals' alignment with just one county allowed them to avoid early pressure to select as many players from affiliated counties as possible, but Lancashire chief executive Daniel Gidney argued this would prove a handicap, as the other franchises would enjoy greater marketing powers and better coaching resources.[4]
The inaugural Hundred draft took place in October 2019 and with the Originals having claimed Jos Buttler as their England centrally-contracted player, and Kate Cross and Sophie Ecclestone the women's players, they were looking to build on their early picks. They were also joined by England internationals Matt Parkinson and Saqib Mahmood as local icon picks (players from their director county Lancashire).[6]
As part of the 2025 Hundred sale, the ECB gave Lancashire County Cricket Club a 51% stake in the franchise with the remaining 49% sold in an auction process. Lancashire County Cricket Club opted to sell 21% of their stake with RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group acquiring 70% of the franchise. They took operational control on 1 October 2025.[7][8] The franchise was renamed ahead of the 2026 The Hundred season.[9]
↑Manchester Originals men qualified for the eliminator in 2022. They played two matches, winning the playoff for the final against London Spirit by 5 wickets, losing in the final to Trent Rockets by 2 wickets.
↑Manchester Originals men qualified for the eliminator in 2023. They played two matches, winning the playoff for the final against Southern Brave by 7 wickets, losing in the final to Oval Invincibles by 14 runs.
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