Grace Ballenger: Behind the curtain at The Hundred auction

There was a combination of auction experience and strategy in the room, and ultimately where you showed up at the auction sometimes became either a huge advantage or disadvantage.

Many successful local female players have not been sold, including some who have historically had hundred successful campaigns.

There were also a few surprise selections, many of whom didn’t make their debut at all.

In some cases, players came in at the right time, perhaps overpaid beyond their perceived value, as people were in dire need of their skill set.

Meanwhile, others came at unfortunate times, as their role had already been filled.

The whole thing had a really weird feeling. With salaries exploding after The Hundred was privatised, domestic workers had never dealt with these kind of numbers before.

This explosion is perhaps best reflected by the sale of 18-year-old spinner Tilly Curtin-Coleman to Southern Brave.

Last summer, the teenager played for the club for £12,500, but on Wednesday she was bought by the same team for £105,000.

While some people were ecstatic and rightfully so – Tilly revealed she was ‘jumping up and down on the bed’, external Joyfully – others were left heartbroken and indifferent.

As I mentioned in a previous column, cricket is a good part of the entertainment industry – and The Hundred wants to entertain in particular.

The auction sure was an eye-catcher, as it was filmed in London’s famous Piccadilly Lights. But within this entertainment, there were harsh realities and anxious moments for the players involved.

It is a difficult day for some, but a momentous day for English cricket and women’s sport in general.

With the headlines focused on the highest earners and the positives that come with this for those few, it would be easy to forget the players who left disappointed and, in many cases, unfairly left out of teams.

An emotionally exhausting day for everyone involved, whether your personal outcome is good or bad. Many local teams were likely training while the auction was going on, and around 30 players were at the ECB’s training camp in Pretoria, South Africa, while everything unfolded.

Managing emotions in a team environment is never easy. Even if you got a good score, you were watching hoping that your in-game teammates would get a deal too.

A difficult day for many, and a step closer to new beginnings for The Hundred.