Hundred draft rescheduled to avoid clash with Shane Warne's funeral

The Hundred draft has been delayed by a week due to a clash with Shane Warne's state funeral.

Warne, who died after a heart attack in Thailand on March 4, will be given a public farewell at the MCG on March 30, with 50,000 free tickets available in a public ballot.

Warne coached London Spirit's men's team in the inaugural season of the Hundred in 2021 - though missed most of the competition after contracting Covid-19 - and was due to return for a second stint in 2022.

The draft was originally due to be staged on March 29, with the results announced the following day. It will now be held on April 4, with picks revealed on April 5. Some women's player moves and new signings will also be announced on the same day.

"Shane was a much loved part of the Hundred, and played an important role in launching the competition as head coach of London Spirit's men's team," a statement said. "He will be hugely missed by everyone involved in the competition."

The draft will be staged behind closed doors, with several teams' head coaches involved in the IPL. The inaugural draft in October 2019 was broadcast live from Sky Sports' London studios but last year's was also held remotely.

Spirit will make the first pick in the draft, with Warne suggesting shortly before his sudden death that Mitchell Marsh was "someone we'd definitely consider as first pick".

Fraser Stewart, Spirit's general manager, released a statement after Warne's death describing him as "a true icon". The team are yet to recruit a replacement as head coach, with David Ripley and Dimitri Mascarenhas - both assistant coaches last year - among the potential candidates.