How a Phishing Scare Nearly Kept Caleb Falconer Out of The Hundred

Caleb Falconer nearly missed out on a Hundred contract because cricket authorities suspected his own father's email was a scam.

Falconer, a Middlesex batting all-rounder, was with England at the Under-19 World Cup in Zimbabwe and Namibia when he phoned his father Stuart and suggested putting his name forward for The Hundred's auction — the player draft for the franchise tournament that runs each summer in England and Wales. He had no agent. He had not made a single professional appearance. So Stuart Falconer, a coach by trade, stepped in as his unofficial representative for the day and emailed the England and Wales Cricket Board to enter his son into the auction.

The ECB was not convinced. Suspecting the message could be a phishing hoax — a fraudulent email designed to impersonate someone — officials spent several hours on phone calls, emails and identity checks before confirming that Stuart really was who he said he was. Once the verification was sorted, Caleb's name went onto the auction list. Two franchises bid for him. Southern Brave won, signing him for £55,000.

Falconer was the first player to sign a men's Hundred contract before making his county debut, according to The Hundred's official website. Born in South Africa and later picked for England Lions in 2026, he had signed his first rookie contract with Middlesex in December 2025. Southern Brave also brought in teenager Thomas Rew on significant money in the same auction, banking on youth in a format where a single ball can swing a match.

Ian Bell, Southern Brave's assistant coach, said the franchise deliberately backed England's young players. Chris Jordan, the Brave captain, said he enjoyed passing on wisdom to teenage team-mates Rew and Falconer — a nod to the blend of experience and raw talent the squad was built around.

For a player whose entry into the tournament almost derailed over a misidentified email, the £55,000 price tag is quite a turnaround. One day his father is fielding fraud-suspicion calls from the ECB. The next, two franchises are bidding for his son. The 2026 edition of The Hundred is scheduled for 21 July to 15 August.