AUSTRALIA star David Warner is among the final picks for Southern Brave's inaugural season of The Hundred.

With only two spots left to fill in the men's squad before the draft, Warner returned as the third player picked, and has been joined by Warwickshire spinner Danny Briggs.

Men’s team head coach Mahela Jayawardene adds the pair to existing teammates Jofra Archer and Andre Russell, who were retained from last year’s squad.

Jayawardene said: “To be able to bring David (Warner) back into the fold is a huge boost for our team. We were so excited when we grabbed him in the first draft, so it’s great to have him back.

"To also bring in someone of Danny Briggs’ quality as well is exciting for this team."

Meanwhile women’s team head coach Charlotte Edwards has welcomed England all-rounder Sophia Dunkley to her squad as their line-up continues to take shape. Dunkley will join existing teammates, Danni Wyatt, Anya Shrubsole and Stafanie Taylor, who have been retained from last year’s squad.

Players are being signed on an individual basis by the eight teams in the women’s competition, with no equivalent draft event. Teams will continue to fill their squads over the coming months.

The teams, based at The Ageas Bowl in Southampton, will face seven other teams in the competition when it starts in July.

The Hundred is aiming to open cricket up to more families and young people, with its fast-paced form of the game.

The fixtures see Southern Brave taking on Birmingham Phoenix on Friday, July 30 in their first home match.

In a sporting first, the competition will launch with a women’s fixture as the headline act, with Oval Invincibles taking on Manchester Originals at The Kia Oval on Wednesday, July 21 in a match televised live on Sky and BBC – with the men’s sides following suit the next day.

Aside from the standalone opening women’s and men’s games, each day of the competition will feature a men’s and women’s match, played at the same venue, with tickets allowing fans to watch both matches.

All men’s and women’s games will be broadcast live on Sky. The Hundred will also be covered extensively across the BBC, including live television coverage of 10 men’s games and up to eight live women’s matches, including The Hundred Final for both the women’s and men’s competitions, which will take place at Lord’s on August 21.