The Hundred hopes for final flourish as Ben Stokes’ injury hogs the headlines

Has anything changed? When Ben Stokes was helped off the field at Old Trafford last Sunday, kitted out in Northern Superchargers gear, his left hamstring torn after running for one, it was inevitable what would follow.

“Ben Stokes injuring himself in meaningless Hundred is one of English cricket’s dumbest moments,” ran the headline of one newspaper column, the tournament blamed for Stokes’ impending absence from the Test series against Sri Lanka. Of course, there’s this argument, too: cricketer suffers injury playing cricket. These things happen. But the reaction highlighted the never-ending divisiveness of the Hundred, now about to complete its fourth season.

Related: England captain Ben Stokes ruled out of Sri Lanka series with hamstring injury

Stokes’ injury, unfortunately for the organisers, has been the major headline of this year’s edition, which has been competing with the Olympics for the attention of the casual sports fan (no prizes for guessing the winner). It also showed how conversations around the Hundred seem unable to incorporate the game itself, a man on crutches dragging the focus away from action in the middle. Runs and wickets have yet to dominate this debate. Instead we still have to discuss the boring but crucial administrative sideshow: private investment.

The England and Wales Cricket Board’s plans to sell 49% of its stake in the teams was the main pre-season talking point, with potential investors invited to inspect what they could be buying. If they haven’t clocked it yet, a simple mantra has emerged: the women’s tournament works, the men’s less so.

According to the ECB, five of the eight grounds used have enjoyed record Hundred attendances in the women’s competition this year; that could turn to seven with Saturday’s eliminator at the Oval and Sunday’s final at Lord’s. England representatives are front and centre – Nat Sciver-Brunt leads the run-scorers’ chart – and the imports are of high quality. Australia’s Ash Gardner, ranked second in the T20 international all-rounder rankings, played in the tournament for the first time this season.

Related: County cricket: Leach bleeds life out of Worcestershire in One-Day Cup | Gary Naylor

Several of Gardner’s male compatriots – Glenn Maxwell, Travis Head and Pat Cummins among them – have just finished up stints at Major League Cricket. The US tournament clashed with the start of the Hundred and is increasingly infringing upon real-estate space in the summer, providing the best in the men’s game a different and lucrative offer.

There have been those who played in the MLC before flying to the UK, but that has inadvertently made the Hundred look stranger. Australia’s Chris Green was signed by Trent Rockets for just one game at the start of the tournament as Rashid Khan finished up in the US. Green starred in the win over Northern Superchargers, taking three wickets and hitting an unbeaten 25 off seven balls, probably becoming some kid’s hero on the day. And then the parents had to explain venture capitalism.

Green returned to Lancashire to play in the One-Day Cup, only to be pinched back by the Rockets after Rashid suffered an injury. It doesn’t seem fair on the county, offering a reminder of the muddle that is the men’s domestic schedule.

There has been a twist in the general story of the women’s competition. For three seasons Southern Brave, coached by England great Charlotte Edwards, excelled, twice runners-up before champions in 2023. This year, with a similar group of players, it’s gone the other way, a bottom-placed finish with just one win. Welsh Fire, powered by the all-round excellence of Jess Jonassen and Hayley Matthews, are through to their first final, with Oval Invincibles or London Spirit to face them.

A low-scoring weekend is likely in the men’s tournament, which has had only two teams reach 170 and struggled for thrills. “The ball’s definitely done a lot more in a few of the games,” says Birmingham Phoenix’s Jacob Bethell. “It’s nipping all over the place but I don’t think it’s to do with the balls. When it’s nipping in the 70th ball, that’s to do with the pitches.”

Eliminators (at Kia Oval, Saturday)

Women: Oval Invincibles v London Spirit (2.15pm)

Men: Birmingham Phoenix v Southern Brave (6pm)

Finals (at Lord's, Sunday)

Women: Welsh Fire v Invincibles or Spirit (2.15pm)

Men: Oval Invincibles v Phoenix or Brave (6pm)

A 20-year-old southpaw who carries Next Big Thing energy, Bethell explains the challenge awaiting his side when they face Southern Brave on Saturday for a place in the final. “Their seam attack is Tymal Mills, Jofra Archer and Chris Jordan. Then you’ve got Akeal Hosein who you’ve got to try and get away at the other end. You don’t really get any let-up.”

The Invincibles are through to the final, going for their second title in a row. With players who have been there since day one – the Curran brothers, Will Jacks, Sam Billings – there’s a semblance of identity here, which isn’t always apparent in a franchise world of mega auctions and one-match deals. They’re a fine side who will come up against another excellent team. A game will break out. And then, for once, maybe we can talk about the cricket.