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Players from the Southern Brave men’s and women’s teams – who both wear green kit - visited the Gunwharf Quays landmark on Monday evening.

The men are hoping to retain their title after side - captained by Hampshire and England batter James Vince defeated Birmingham Phoenix at Lord’s last August.

The Brave women’s team - skippered by England’s 2017 World Cup final star Anya Shrubsole - will be aiming to go one step further after making the final in 2021.

The Spinnaker Tower turns green. Picture by Dave Vokes.

Vince and Shrubsole were joined by an array of players from both sides, including Tim David, Molly Strano, Tymal Mills, Lauren Bell, George Garton, Georgia Adams, Tara Norris and Paige Scholfield, as well as head coaches Mahela Jayawardene and Charlotte Edwards.

There was music from DJ Steph Nieuwenhuys, who will be performing at Hampshire’s Ageas Bowl for the opening match of the 2022 Hundred against Welsh Fire tonight.

SEE MORE: Southern Brave players abseil down the Spinnaker Tower

Star attraction for Fire was due to be captain Jonny Bairstow, the hero of England’s Test series win against world champions New Zealand earlier this summer.

Southern Brave players and staff. Back (from left) Anya Shrubsole, Charlotte Edwards (coach), James Vince, Mahela Jayawardene, Tim David, Tara Norris, Tymal Mills, Paige Scholfield, Molly Strano. Front: George Garton, Lauren Bell, Aaron Phipps, Georgia Adams. Picture by Dave Vokes

But he dramatically withdrew from the Hundred campaign last night to focus on resting and recuperating before England’s upcoming Test series against South Africa.

He will no longer be making himself available for selection after enduring ‘a hectic few months” of international cricket.’

The Hundred was initially due to be staged in 2020, but cancelled due to the pandemic. Instead, it was first held last summer. The brainchild of the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB), it features matches involving 100 balls - 16.4 overs - for each team.

The Southern Brave are one of eight city-based franchises - the others are London Spirit, Oval Invincibles (also London), Welsh Fire (Cardiff), Trent Rockets (Nottingham), Birmingham Phoenix, Manchester Originals and Northern Superchargers (Leeds).

The Hundred has alienated vast swathes of ‘traditional’ cricket enthusiasts, who vow never to watch it.

Find out why the Spinnaker Tower was turned green earlier this week