English cricket chiefs say a windfall of nearly £1 billion ($1.25 billion) from an auction of Hundred franchises is "a seminal moment" that will safeguard the game for future generations.Global investors,

English cricket has generated around $650 million from the sale of stakes in franchises in The Hundred to big-business investors from India and the United States, including consortiums involving NFL great Tom Brady and Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly.

Auctions held over the past two weeks drew bids that value the eight teams in The Hundred at more than $1.2 billion, the England and Wales Cricket Board said on Thursday. The investors who secured deals range from Silicon Valley tech giants,