The Hundred gears up for its sixth edition this week but it will go ahead without arguably England's most enigmatic talent, Ben Stokes.
ECB chiefs have gone all out to make the unique 100-ball competition a success this summer, garnering significant investment from both Indian Premier League and American private equity firms, but, despite their efforts, it will still lack English cricket's biggest star.
It's not like Stokes hasn't featured in The Hundred before, either.
The 35-year-old all-rounder turned out for the Northern Superchargers -- since re-branded to Sunrisers Leeds following an Indian-backed takeover -- during both the 2021 & 2024 editions, albeit only taking to the field on five occasions.
A combination of injury problems and a focus on his England responsibilities can account for his sporadic past involvement but he is fully fit and free from the shackles of England duty following his international retirement last month.
Still, instead of taking the cash and putting his skills to the test in the ECB's flagship event, Stokes has opted to turn out for Durham in the unfashionable One-Day Cup.
On the day that the glitz and glamour of The Hundred gets underway, England's most recognisable player has made the somewhat less trendy trip down to Derbyshire where he will line-up alongside a selection of experienced pros and fringe first-teamers.
All the while, his likely replacement as Test skipper, Harry Brook, will pocket north of £450,000 for playing a maximum of 10 matches for Stokes' old side Sunrisers Leeds.
Whatever his reasons, maybe a genuine dislike for the competition, or maybe one more stance against the ECB; Stokes' absence does detract from the appeal of The Hundred.
