The fixtures for the fifth season of the Hundred have been announced by the ECB, with the tournament set to open with a double-header between London rivals London Spirit and Oval Invincibles at Lord's on August 5.

For the first time this season, direct signings have been permitted in both the men's and women's competitions, with Laura Wolvaardt and Amelia Kerr the first to have been recruited in that fashion, as they join Southern Brave and Manchester Originals respectively.

"The cricket itself is high quality, the format is accessible and quick, and we're all really looking forward to getting back to it and hopefully defending our title."

"It was another fantastic tournament last year, we've worked hard at the Invincibles to build a really strong core and there's no reason why we can't have another great year. The Kia Oval is undoubtedly one of the best places in world cricket to play, our home support is special. We all hope we can build on the last couple of years and keep the trophy in South London."

Season tickets for previous holders will be on sale from today, while an exclusive window for previous attendees will be open from March 4-18. Priority sales will be from April 1-15, before tickets go on general release from April 17.