The Hundred Tournament - Men’s and Women’s: Discussion, News, Squads, Previews

[MenInG]

ECB today presented its proposed approach for the new eight-team domestic competition - starting in 2020 - to Chairmen and Chief Executives of the First-Class Counties and MCC.

The competition will be based on the simple format of 100 balls for each team.

Featuring aligned competitions for both men’s and women’s teams - sharing a common format, brands and identities in their own leagues - it received overwhelming support at today’s meeting at Lord’s following unanimous support by the board of the new competition.

Supporting the aims of the game-wide strategy of Cricket Unleashed, the new 100-ball format will meet key aims for the new competition, including:

Attracting a wider audience – its simplicity helping to appeal to families and a more diverse and younger audience.

Promotion for the game – a five-week window in the middle of summer showcasing cricket at major venues, promoted across Sky and BBC and linked to participation.

Clear differentiation from other competitions – distinct from the popular Vitality Blast with a fresh approach to broadcast coverage and promotion

The 100-ball concept has also been discussed and supported by the ECB Board, the representative T20 Development Group and ECB’s T20 Governance Group and will now be further developed. It has been welcomed by broadcasters and player representatives – both men and women – have been consulted.

ECB’s Chief Executive Officer Tom Harrison said:

“This is a fresh and exciting idea which will appeal to a younger audience and attract new fans to the game.

“Throughout its development, we have shown leadership, provided challenge and followed a process. We will continue to do that as the concept evolves.

“Our game has a history of innovation and we have a duty to look for future growth for the health and sustainability of the whole game.

“There are 18 First Class Counties, playing red and white ball cricket, at our core and these Counties and competitions will be supported, promoted and benefit from the game’s growth.”

ECB Chief Commercial Officer, Sanjay Patel, MD for the new competition, said:

“The development team has had strong support and encouragement in its conversations to date and it’s time to take the concept wider as we build the detail.

“This is 100-ball cricket, a simple approach to reach a new generation. Based on fifteen traditional 6-ball overs, the other ten balls will add a fresh tactical dimension.

“Crucially, this will also help differentiate this competition from Vitality Blast and other T20 competitions worldwide, maintaining our game’s history of successful innovation.

“The players and our valuable broadcast partners under the new TV partnerships from 2020-24 are vital to the success of this competition and they will see the energy, excitement and simplicity of this approach.”

Clare Connor CBE, Director of Women’s Cricket at ECB, said:

“Our World Cup win at Lord’s last July showed what’s possible in terms of our sport reaching a new, younger and more diverse audience.

“Kia Super League has had a huge impact on participation, player development and the profile of our game. It was a big investment and a bold decision by the Board and paved the way for this next stage of growth.

“To build the women’s and men’s competitions and identities together, side by side, is a prospect that few sports ever have and will give us greater reach, scale and prominence.

“It will attract more women and girls to the game, ensure that cricket reaches and entertains more families and give our players an exciting stage upon which to display their talent.”

[GreenShirts]

Jesus.How many formats???Don't see how 20 less balls per innings will change things...

First T10 and now this.

Will this replace the proposed T20 league ?

[HitWicket]

Jesus.How many formats???Don't see how 20 less balls per innings will change things...

First T10 and now this.

Will this replace the proposed T20 league ?

Yeah, this is for the new league starting in 2020. My first though was a little outraged when reading it (after checking it wasn't 1st April) but to be honest I've warmed up to the idea a bit. Curious to see what they do with it, changing the format basically gives them the ability to adjust and make any rules they want which could be interesting.

[GreenShirts]

Yeah, this is for the new league starting in 2020. My first though was a little outraged when reading it (after checking it wasn't 1st April) but to be honest I've warmed up to the idea a bit. Curious to see what they do with it, changing the format basically gives them the ability to adjust and make any rules they want which could be interesting.

It's not a bad idea if the T20Blast is also running alongside.That way they can cancel the new competition if it doesn't work out and continue with the T20 Blast.

[USofA]

I guess, welcome to T17 cricket!!??

Hidden in there is ECB basically officially admitting that they cannot draw the new generation to tests. The only way to get people watching cricket is the shortest form.

If England cannot draw people to test cricket, what will happen to the format.

[Syed1]

How will they have a 100 balls innings? Will they stop the innings at 16 overs and 4 balls?



Or will each over be 5 balls, to have 20 overs.

[Hasan123]

Stupid idea. Why not just have a T20 format ?

[HitWicket]

How will they have a 100 balls innings? Will they stop the innings at 16 overs and 4 balls?



Or will each over be 5 balls, to have 20 overs.

15 x 6 ball overs with the remaining 10 balls incorporated in some way. Bit unclear yet but it seems they'll be some kind of tactical decision over when you use those 10 balls.

[Arham_PakFan]

Ridiculous really.

T10 was different in that it was introduced in a league owned privately by different investors.It is a lot more serious if the ECB introduces a new format in a new competition.Lets not forget that ECB invented T20 cricket in the form it is today.

[Perth93]

Some MBA kid would've come up with abominable idea.
Why stop there? Mix it up. 15 overs of cricket but then last 10 mins will be a football game. "Broaden the demographic target", as the MBA brat would put it.

[the Great Khan]

hunh? Why oh why do they have to change things? heres a thought how about promoting the game amongst the urban youth and in the cities, making it cheaper to play and get it on free tv..but nooo, we cant do that can we..we must maintain the caste system!!

[rhony]

They want to finish the games by 9 pm and apparently they can do that if there are only 100 balls bowled per innings. 15 regular overs and the final over with 10 balls. Interesting I must say. That last over can make or break games.

[HitWicket]

They want to finish the games by 9 pm and apparently they can do that if there are only 100 balls bowled per innings. 15 regular overs and the final over with 10 balls. Interesting I must say. That last over can make or break games.

From the looks of things the plan isn't for a final over of 10 balls but to allow teams to tactically pick when to slot those 10 balls in during the game or something like that.

hunh? Why oh why do they have to change things? heres a thought how about promoting the game amongst the urban youth and in the cities, making it cheaper to play and get it on free tv..but nooo, we cant do that can we..we must maintain the caste system!!

Don't know if you missed the news but part of this tournament (and the womens equivalent) along with some T20Is and womens T20Is will be on the BBC from 2020.

[the Great Khan]

From the looks of things the plan isn't for a final over of 10 balls but to allow teams to tactically pick when to slot those 10 balls in during the game or something like that.



Don't know if you missed the news but part of this tournament (and the womens equivalent) along with some T20Is and womens T20Is will be on the BBC from 2020.

I know it will be but we need normal cricket on free tv..not this stupid version..eventually in about ten years time theyll have five overs each spread out over two innings each..its ludicrous..

[HitWicket]

I know it will be but we need normal cricket on free tv..not this stupid version..eventually in about ten years time theyll have five overs each spread out over two innings each..its ludicrous..

Not sure if you get a young kid who's not particularly interested in cricket watching that they're going to be overly bothered that it's this new format rather than a t20. In terms of getting anything longer such as ODIs and tests I think you'll struggle to get the BBC or ITV to give up that much airtime for something that wouldn't be getting as much viewership as the shorter formats anyway so you'd be reduced to another alternative channel which probably won't give the exposure desired.

[rhony]

From the looks of things the plan isn't for a final over of 10 balls but to allow teams to tactically pick when to slot those 10 balls in during the game or something like that.

That's even better!!! English have always been the innovators in cricket.

[USofA]

Not sure if you get a young kid who's not particularly interested in cricket watching that they're going to be overly bothered that it's this new format rather than a t20. In terms of getting anything longer such as ODIs and tests I think you'll struggle to get the BBC or ITV to give up that much airtime for something that wouldn't be getting as much viewership as the shorter formats anyway so you'd be reduced to another alternative channel which probably won't give the exposure desired.

I do not understand how the tv landscape in the UK is. Do people not subscribe to cable/dish/online streaming? Does free to air mean the old antenna on the roof?

[OoparCut]

Silly desperate ECB. Their league plans are off to a bad start.

[HitWicket]

I do not understand how the tv landscape in the UK is. Do people not subscribe to cable/dish/online streaming? Does free to air mean the old antenna on the roof?

By free to air we're generally referring to anything you can watch with just a TV license. Others channels are then available through external providers such as Sky, Virgin, BT etc. where you can purchase a monthly package that for example includes the Sky Sports channels.

[j_kazmi]

Will it hurt to bowl an extra 20 balls per innings. Honestly just play t20s, it’s a great format.

One day I think I’m just gonna stop watching cricket because they’re making way too many changes. One day they’re playing and then 100 ball matches the next. On top of that the ICC seems to change the rules of cricket every other month.

Where’s the consistency? I know all these people are just trying to attract more people to cricket but I’m honestly being pushed away.

[Minku]

English always want to be a different and try to be the leaders. Stupid idea and a dumb excuse to try to limit the time of the match to 3 hrs. what does it matter if its 3 hrs or 3 hrs 15 mins.

[HitWicket]

English always want to be a different and try to be the leaders. Stupid idea and a dumb excuse to try to limit the time of the match to 3 hrs. what does it matter if its 3 hrs or 3 hrs 15 mins.

From what people are saying on twitter it seems the matter is whether they can fit the game onto free to air television or not. The changes should save a lot more than 15 minutes as well you'd expect.

[shortbread]

hunh? Why oh why do they have to change things? heres a thought how about promoting the game amongst the urban youth and in the cities, making it cheaper to play and get it on free tv..but nooo, we cant do that can we..we must maintain the caste system!!

This.

The biggest issue cricket faces in the UK is that there's poor broadcast exposure. They know this well but are stubborn not to let go of the revenue. Unless they resolve this issue cricket will slowly die among the masses and grow more elitist in the UK. People might turn up to watch the Ahes or high profile tournaments, but it will not be a popular sport with widespread participants.

If cricket has to grow in the UK, the ECB have to stop being selfish and take 2 major steps:

1) Make live cricket available on free TV
2) Help Scotland and Ireland become strong test playing nations.

Both could have been achieved long ago, but better late than never.

[Markhor]

I think I need to have a lie down.

[delpiero10]

A lot of responses ridiculing this idea - a bit like when the ECB launched Twenty20 cricket 15 years ago.

If there's going to be a new league, why not slightly differentiate it from the dozen or so other tamasha leagues that are operating around the world? If it doesnt work, they can revert back to T20 for the second season.

[Arham_PakFan]

Heard that,in each innings,the first 15 overs will be 6 balls each and the last over will be comprised of 10 deliveries.

[Gabbar Singh]

It's not April 1st is it?

[PakSarZameen]

Seriously, how is 20 balls less going to make a difference?

[USofA]

By free to air we're generally referring to anything you can watch with just a TV license. Others channels are then available through external providers such as Sky, Virgin, BT etc. where you can purchase a monthly package that for example includes the Sky Sports channels.

By license, do you mean the the government gives people a box to hook up to their tv's and watch BBC?

[USofA]

English always want to be a different and try to be the leaders. Stupid idea and a dumb excuse to try to limit the time of the match to 3 hrs. what does it matter if its 3 hrs or 3 hrs 15 mins.

From what people are saying on twitter it seems the matter is whether they can fit the game onto free to air television or not. The changes should save a lot more than 15 minutes as well you'd expect.

There is no way they can control the game to end it in 3 hours. How would they account for in game delays like injuries, sight screen issues etc?

[HitWicket]

By license, do you mean the the government gives people a box to hook up to their tv's and watch BBC?

Na the license doesn't physically do or get you anything but if you're caught watching live TV (or catchup as well nowadays I believe) without one they can lump you with a big fine.

There is no way they can control the game to end it in 3 hours. How would they account for in game delays like injuries, sight screen issues etc?

You can make your best effort though. At the moment an average t20 game in England takes about 3hrs 10 minutes when it goes the full length. I reckon this change in format could cut that to nearly 2hrs 30 mins.

[Hedz]

Seriously this makes less sense than the T10 league
ECB should just make a city based T20 league and scrap the existing vitality blast (whatever it’s called)

No need for two tournaments, especially as the English summer is relatively short and their “new fans” won’t be available over both tournaments
One is bound to come short

[rhony]

Seriously, how is 20 balls less going to make a difference?

That's 40 in total and close to 7 overs. Saves 30 min

[hadi123]

Oh god please no!

[Last Monetarist]

I don't want to put in text what I am actually feeling while I type, but I do fervently hope that the dim-witted scoundrels (Claire Connor et al) who came up with this farcical idea get villified by all and sundry and that this proposed tournament crashes and burns. I want cricket to die if this actually becomes successful. I can't take any more of this nonsense.

[Sami92]

What a joke !

Please I want T20.

[the Great Khan]

By license, do you mean the the government gives people a box to hook up to their tv's and watch BBC?

The licence is a TV tax that we all pay and the revenue is used to fund public broadcasting like e.g. the BBC. Essentially the bbc uses tax payers money and avoids advertising.

Free to air tv can be seen either through a smart tv with freeview or a set top box with freeview. This contains about 20-25 channels that are available as long as you have a modern tv or set top box.

Cable and satellite tv are the two other ways to obtain channels. We have Virgin media that provide cable tv and they have a deal with sky to show their channels. You can pay a monthly fee for various packages.

Sky and BT are the other two providers. to watch sky you need a satellite dish and they provide various packages. Sky sports has a deal to show all of the cricket in the UK and to get it you need to pay about £29.99 a month on top of the standard fee for their standard entertainment package. In essence if your trying to budget and save it becomes difficult to afford it. For lower income people it is almost impossible to get it now.

Also cricket is an elite white sport in the UK. they do not encourage its growth in govt schools and it is played by those you would expect to got to Ivy league schools and colleges. Unless you are an Asian parent and are determined to give your child a chance, most white parents just send their kids to football, boxing, martial arts , swimming etc because they are cheaper and more convenient.

[USofA]

The licence is a TV tax that we all pay and the revenue is used to fund public broadcasting like e.g. the BBC. Essentially the bbc uses tax payers money and avoids advertising.

Free to air tv can be seen either through a smart tv with freeview or a set top box with freeview. This contains about 20-25 channels that are available as long as you have a modern tv or set top box.

Cable and satellite tv are the two other ways to obtain channels. We have Virgin media that provide cable tv and they have a deal with sky to show their channels. You can pay a monthly fee for various packages.

Sky and BT are the other two providers. to watch sky you need a satellite dish and they provide various packages. Sky sports has a deal to show all of the cricket in the UK and to get it you need to pay about £29.99 a month on top of the standard fee for their standard entertainment package. In essence if your trying to budget and save it becomes difficult to afford it. For lower income people it is almost impossible to get it now.

Also cricket is an elite white sport in the UK. they do not encourage its growth in govt schools and it is played by those you would expect to got to Ivy league schools and colleges. Unless you are an Asian parent and are determined to give your child a chance, most white parents just send their kids to football, boxing, martial arts , swimming etc because they are cheaper and more convenient.

Thanks for the detailed explanation. I get the picture now. Surprising that paid tv reach is low. Is the 30 pounds a large expense for British people?

Cable is just unwatchable here in the US, with too many ads. Not only that, the packages make you pay for channels you will never watch. So Britishers are not missing anything by not getting paid tv.

Here in the US we are moving away from cable/dish and into streaming services like Netflix, Amazon and few others. Perhaps that is the way to go for UK as well.

[Donal Cozzie]

One of the stupidest ideas I've ever seen.

Been crying out for a franchise, city based t20 league for years and they couldnt even do that without making a pigs ear of it.

What on earth is the point of reducing an innings by 20 balls?

[the Great Khan]

Thanks for the detailed explanation. I get the picture now. Surprising that paid tv reach is low. Is the 30 pounds a large expense for British people?

Cable is just unwatchable here in the US, with too many ads. Not only that, the packages make you pay for channels you will never watch. So Britishers are not missing anything by not getting paid tv.

Here in the US we are moving away from cable/dish and into streaming services like Netflix, Amazon and few others. Perhaps that is the way to go for UK as well.

Netflix is very popular here and is making massive inroads. I have heard that some people are ditching Sky for netflix and free tv. But Sky sports is still popular and because they have the soccer many people buy it. However there are large swathes of the country who simply cant afford the 29.99 plus the 24.99 every month. It simply means that the fan base becomes limited. Free tv still shows soccer and other sports but they Sky has exclusivity of English cricket at home and BT has it for abroad series. Eitehr way you have to pay quite a bit to watch cricket..Hence why the popularity is waning rapidly.

In 2005 during the Ashes which was the last time we had major test cricket on free tv, the country went bananas for cricket..it was great..you had average joes who knew nothing about cricket suddenly interested. Then things went to Sky and its been downhill ever since..

[R3verse Swing]

A radical new format of cricket in which each side will face 100 balls and bowl one ten-ball over was unveiled by the ECB yesterday.

The concept, which is 40 balls shorter than a Twenty20 match, has been designed for the new eight-team, city-based tournament that starts in the summer of 2020.

It is hoped that the revamped format will help to attract families to games while also appealing to television broadcasters who will be able to show matches without taking up primetime evening slots.

It had originally been thought that the new tournament would be played in the Twenty20 format but the ECB confirmed yesterday that their thinking at present is for an innings of 15 six-ball overs and one additional over of ten balls that could be played as a “wild card” at any point in the innings nominated by the fielding side’s captain. It is hoped that the proposed idea would result in matches being completed about 40 minutes faster than T20 matches.

The Laws of Cricket (Law 17) do not allow for more than six balls to be bowled in an over but the ECB has confirmed that MCC has agreed to look again at this law to ensure that the new format can be accommodated.

The governing body’s hope is not only that the shorter format will attract a new audience to cricket but that the biggest stars will be enticed by the new format and the significant salary deals.

It is believed that cricket’s biggest names could earn up to £200,000 to take part. Under the plans, which are yet to be finalised, each of the eight new teams would be given a salary budget of about £1.2 million to spend on their 15-man squad, of which three can be overseas players. It is expected that the rest will be predominantly England-qualified players, although there are likely to be some Kolpak players initially.

The ECB’s intention is that evening matches in the new tournament will start at 6.30pm and be over by 9pm, making it more suitable for families with younger children. The format is particularly attractive to the television broadcasters. The BBC will be broadcasting ten matches of the new competition and much prefers the idea of shorter matches that do not take up a whole evening of primetime slots on one of its main channels.

In 2017, the average time taken to bowl an innings in the T20 Blast was 85 minutes, with a ten-minute break in between innings meaning that each match was taking three hours — so matches under the new format may be only about half an hour shorter.

In the IPL, each innings takes 106 minutes on average, while in international T20 matches it is 98 minutes. The proposal was put to the chief executives and chairmen of the 18 first-class counties at a meeting at Lord’s yesterday and was approved by all of them.

County chiefs had been concerned about the impact that a new T20 tournament would have on their ability to market their own Blast competition, which will be played in a block immediately before the new format.

The counties feel that this new idea is sufficiently different from T20 for it to be marketed to two different types of audiences, avoiding the danger of the new competition damaging the appeal of the Blast.

Although international cricket — probably only Test matches — will continue to be played during the five-week tournament, the ECB hopes to attract high-profile international stars to their tournament by making it a marquee event with a significant salary offer. Players will be selected via a player draft, with each team taking turns to pick players from within a number of different fixed salary bands. The draft is likely to be similar to the way players are picked for the Caribbean Premier League, the Pakistan Super League and the Bangladesh Premier League. It will not be an auction as in the Indian Premier League.

The ECB is aware that its new competition clashes, in part, with the Caribbean Premier League, which has six privately owned franchises and attracts big-name overseas players. The best-paid players in this year’s CPL will earn $160,000 (about £114,000) and it is understood that the ECB aims to entice the biggest names by offering higher salaries than those on offer there, although they will still be a long way off the riches available to players in the IPL auction.

Each team in the CPL has a salary budget of $803,000. With each team in the new competition having almost twice that to spend on salaries, a number of county cricketers will be in for a substantial pay day.

Some will be able to earn almost the equivalent of their annual county salary during the five-week tournament. Others in the bottom bracket will earn substantially less than that but still more than they would be earning in county cricket.

In the new competition — which is yet to be given a name — 36 matches will be played over 38 days during July and August every year from 2020 with one match a day played in the evenings during the week and afternoons at the weekend.

Eight new teams are being set up and will be based at the eight largest grounds in the country — Lord’s, the Kia Oval, Trent Bridge, Edgbaston, Ageas Bowl, Swalec Stadium, Emirates Old Trafford and Emerald Headingley — although the teams will have no links with the county based at the ground, and the name of the team based there will not have any geographical reference in the title.

Each team will play eight group matches (four home and four away) and then there will be play-offs and a final. County cricket will continue to run alongside the new tournament with a one-day cup or some County Championship matches.

The key proposals

● Each innings will consist of 100 balls — 15 regular six-ball overs and one ten-ball over

● Teams may have to bowl the ten-ball over as the final over of the innings, although that has not been confirmed. It is more likely that it will be up to the fielding team to nominate which over will be ten balls

● One of each men’s team’s four home games will be played at the same venue and on the same day as the equivalent women’s game

● The other three women’s games will be played at other venues and may be on the same day as the equivalent men’s match

● Matches between the eight city-based franchises will be played in a five-week block during the school holidays

● Evening matches will start at 6.30pm and should be over by 9pm, while weekend matches will start at 2.30pm

● Games will be shown on a combination of Sky and the BBC

● The eight teams will not be named after cities but will be based at Emirates Old Trafford, Emerald Headingley, Edgbaston, Trent Bridge, Swalec Stadium, Lord’s, The Kia Oval and the Ageas Bowl

● Each team will be allowed three overseas players

● England Test players are unlikely to be available due to international commitments

● Competitions involving the 18 first-class counties will continue at the same time

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/s...cket-7qttltbx5

[R3verse Swing]

Post 2020, IPL will be a distant memory for ECB central contract players.

[greatest]

I thank The Almighty everyday that I was very fortunate to watch and follow cricket in the 80's and 90's. I am sure very soon cricket will die and become a part of my nostalgia.

[mankuTimma]

Post 2020, IPL will be a distant memory for ECB central contract players.

What about PSL?

[R3verse Swing]

What about PSL?

What about it? No need to get defensive.

I mean seriously? Did you read the article I cited? It was referring to the IPL, no mention of PSL.

Why did you mention PSL?

[shane]

I think Test cricket is an acquired taste. Most people who learn to love Test cricket do so after first watching the shorter formats for years. It follows that there will always be more support for the shorter formats than for Tests.

As for this 100-ball thing, it's just marketing. It adds absolutely nothing to the T20 format.

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

I thank The Almighty everyday that I was very fortunate to watch and follow cricket in the 80's and 90's. I am sure very soon cricket will die and become a part of my nostalgia.

Exactly.

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

I thank The Almighty everyday that I was very fortunate to watch and follow cricket in the 80's and 90's. I am sure very soon cricket will die and become a part of my nostalgia.

Exactly. Lillee vs Miandad > Unadkat, Thakur vs Wasim Jaffer in IPL

@rhony

[MenInG]

https://www.sport24.co.za/Cricket/go...-date-20180425

London - Former England Test captain David Gower has welcomed plans for a new 100-ball format but says it is "12 years out of date", with the Indian Premier League now setting the pace.

The 61-year-old, who scored 8,231 Test runs before moving into TV work, believes the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) may have missed a trick by not acting sooner.

"In many ways you could say that this new competition is going to be 12 years out of date before it starts," said Gower, speaking at the launch of a Lord's property investment project in London.

"The ECB had the opportunity to be at the forefront of Twenty20. This new competition could have started and been competing with the IPL from the outset.

"But for various reasons, which you have to respect, it's taken this long to get under way."

The proposed eight-team city-based competition, due to start in 2020, has had mixed reviews.

England captain Joe Root said it could attract a new audience to Test cricket but his predecessor as skipper, Alastair Cook, believes Tests need to be protected.

Gower believes there is room for both long and short formats, and suggested simply adding another T20 tournament to the schedule would have been the wrong move.

"I agree with Alastair that Test cricket is important and there are people like him who have made their reputations almost entirely in Test match cricket," Gower said.

"But the game has changed dramatically in the last 20 years, even more in the last 10 years. T20 has gained traction and the IPL is one of the biggest sporting events in the world currently.

"The idea of making this (competition) different has validity, because another T20 competition added to the world's crowded schedule, and the English summer's crowded schedule, would have been just that.

"The shorter the game, the likelihood is you'll have close games, so it will be interesting."

Gower is the public face of a consortium that is offering members of the public an opportunity to own parcels of land at the Lord's Nursery End.

The Marylebone Cricket Club, which owns Lord's, voted in September to reject plans for a residential development at the ground, instead choosing to adopt their own "MCC Masterplan".

[Abdullah719]

Angry players demand meeting with ECB over 100-ball competition

At least 26 players from around the county game will meet with representatives from the ECB on Tuesday at Edgbaston. It is likely to be a lively meeting given the level of anger among the players about the introduction of the new 100-ball competition in 2020.

They are frustrated by the lack of consultation before the new format was announced and concerned about the impact the new tournament will have on the other domestic competitions. Each of the 18 counties is sending at least one player representative to the meeting and some senior pros have asked to attend to give their views.

The main issues they want to discuss are the rationale for The Hundred, what other domestic cricket will be played alongside it and how the new tournament might impact on their existing contracts and salaries. There will be two representatives from the England women’s and men’s teams as well as senior officials from the Professional Cricketers Association.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/s...tion-qhzh5rlt5

[Abdullah719]

Players have 'concerns' about the ECB's proposed 100-ball format

Players have concerns but remain open-minded about the ECB's plans for a 100-ball competition, the Professional Cricketers' Association has said.

The format was proposed in April as a way to attract new and younger audiences to the game but has had a mixed reaction from players and fans.

Player representatives met with the ECB on Tuesday and while PCA chairman Daryl Mitchell described the sit down as a success and "very informative" he also said that many "unanswered questions" remain.

Following the meeting with ECB chief executive officer Tom Harrison and Sanjay Patel, managing director of the new competition, Mitchell told BBC Sport: "There is a lot of detail to be decided and we are more than willing to work with the ECB on that and hopefully we can play our part in shaping the new competition."

"One of our biggest concerns is the timescale.

"Here we are two years away from this tournament and we are still not even set on the format.

"Things need to happen quickly," he added.

"We need to get more details in the near future, not just how this competition looks but how the rest of the playing schedule will look for our players, when player drafts are going to be and pay bands etc.

"There are a lot of unanswered questions in terms of how format will look but we have had assurances that we will be part of that process and they are keen to stress it is still a concept, an idea, not a done deal which was good to hear."

England director of cricket Andrew Strauss has said the 100-ball proposal, which the ECB wants to introduce from 2020, is aimed at "mums and kids in the summer holidays".

England bowler Stuart Broad praised the concept's "unique selling point", but BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew questioned what impact it will have on the four-day County Championship.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/44044782

[MenInG]

KOLKATA: Former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Friday joined some of the English players who have expressed their concerns about the England and Wales Cricket Board's plan for a 100-ball competition, but remained open-minded about how it's going to shape up.

"It's actually 16 and half overs. So from 50 overs, it has come down to 20 and now to 16 and a half. Let's see what happens. I think they are trying to make 100 a number instead of overs. We will have to wait and see how shorter it gets.

"You got to be very careful that it should not be such that before a spectator comes and blinks, the thing is over," Ganguly said while speaking at the Pro Star League, an U-16 school cricket tournament which aims to identify and nurture talent at the grassroots.

"The spectator wants the fun and pressure to go on for a certain period of time and then find genuine talent and genuine winners," he added.

Ganguly said the shorter the format gets, the gulf between the best and the ordinary reduces.

"The shorter the format gets, the difference between the very good and the ordinary becomes much lesser."

The 45-year old put his weight behind Test cricket, saying the real challenge is when you have to bowl with the same intensity even in the last session of a day.

"That's why test cricket is the biggest challenge in cricket still. It tests you as you have to come and bowl in the morning and then in the afternoon and then at tea time when you're tired fielding all day, you still have to bowl at 140kps and that's when it's tough.
"It requires concentration, skill, technique. T20 will remain, it's commercial and fun but the real version will be the longer format of the game."

The 100-ball cricket format was proposed in April as a way to attract new and younger audiences to the game but has had a mixed reaction from players and fans.

England director of cricket Andrew Strauss has said the 100-ball proposal, which the ECB wants to introduce from 2020, is aimed at "mums and kids in the summer holidays".

The programme involves over 900 schools across 10 cities having 24 teams from four zones - east, west, north and south - qualifying for the mentorship phase.

Ganguly is one of the mentors alongwith Yuvraj Singh, VVS Laxman and Zaheer Khan.

"When I was growing up, there was not enough school cricket in Bengal. Bombay had a lot of school cricket. The likes of Sachin (Tendulkar and Vinod (Kambli) had come up by scoring lots of runs in school cricket. So it's important that school kids get an opportunity," Ganguly said about the importance of school cricket.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...w/64127276.cms

[MenInG]

Young people are "just not attracted to cricket", which is why a new 100-ball competition is being proposed, according to England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Colin Graves.

The concept could see innings consist of 15 traditional six-ball overs and a final 10-ball over, and matches would be 20 balls shorter than T20 matches.

The 100-ball format is set in stone, says Graves, but other details are still being discussed with different stakeholders, including county cricketers.

"It is not attracting the audiences, if it was we would not have that issue," Graves told BBC Sport.

"The younger generation, whether you like it our not, are just not attracted to cricket. In all the work, surveys and research we have done, the younger generation want something different.

"They want more excitement, they want it shorter and simpler to understand. Those are the things we have learnt for this new competition and that is what we have to make it."

Graves also said plans for a 10-ball over in the new competition are "open for discussion". The format was proposed in April but has had a mixed reaction from players and fans.

"We have got a model, we have got a skeleton and the players will be involved in that," added Graves. "The new competition board is in place to virtually launch this tournament."

Graves says the tournament will be worth £8m to county cricketers, and hopes "60-70%" of fans who attend will be coming to cricket for the first time.

Fans on social media reacted to the proposals by describing it as "needless", "a gimmick" and "simply ridiculous" and others thought it is so madcap "players should wear clown outfits".

But England bowler Stuart Broad said it has a "unique selling point", while England one-day captain Eoin Morgan said it was "great to see innovation".

Clare Connor, director of women's cricket at the ECB, feels it will "attract more women and girls to the game".

Asked if the format was set in stone, Graves said: "Yes, as far as we and the ECB board is concerned.

"One of the things the stakeholders said to us was not to take audience away from Vitality T20 blast . They didn't want just another T20 tournament on top of what is existing.

"(Managing director) Sanjay Patel and his team have come up with something I believe that is really exciting.

"I think it is special, it is different, it is shorter. It is trying to attract the audience that we haven't got at the present time."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/44113230

[hadi123]

Surrey are refusing to back down after the ECB's embattled chairman Colin Graves threatened to remove them from the list of host venues for the new 100-ball tournament in 2020.

Graves said the county had to prove they were '100 per cent committed' to the plans, or the board would 'go somewhere else'. But Surrey want to hear more about the competition's precise make-up and financial model, following mixed messages from the ECB hierarchy.

With tensions high at boardroom level after Graves insisted The Hundred was 'set in stone' - despite chief executive Tom Harrison's claim it was no more than a concept - no one from Surrey would go on the record.

But the club are understood to be disappointed that Graves criticised them in public, and remain adamant that they must be convinced of the tournament's viability before they can support it.

As revealed last week by Sportsmail, Surrey offered to host an experimental 100-ball match at The Oval in September; nearly three weeks on, the ECB are yet to respond. A meeting at The Oval on June 6 between the board and executives from the eight proposed host venues looks certain to include some frank exchanges.

Meanwhile, Surrey's bewilderment at the uncertainty continues to be shared by large sections of the Professional Cricketers' Association.

Middlesex off-spinner Ollie Rayner spoke for many when he tweeted: 'Literally pulling my hair out the more all this unravels. By searching for a new audience, they risk losing the current audience. Spend the time and money promoting what is already working globally!'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cri...ournament.html

[MenInG]

http://www.skysports.com/cricket/new...00-ball-format

Sir Ian Botham has backed plans by the England and Wales Cricket Board to introduce a new format for its city-based competition, despite widespread criticism within the game.

The former England all-rounder believes ECB chairman Colin Graves is right to press ahead with the 'Hundred' concept in the hope that it is capable of matching the global success of the Indian Premier League and Australia's Big Bash, which are both played under Twenty20 rules.

Botham feels the new tournament, due to start in 2020, could compete with the other popular franchise leagues.

ECB chief executive Tom Harrison has described discussions with the players regarding the proposed 100-ball format as 'amicable'.
"The game has to move on. I think we're in danger of diluting the red-ball game too much and going down the one-day road, but that's what the public wants at the moment and we're trying to do something different," he said.

"No-one's agreed anything yet regarding the new competition so we'll have to wait and see how it all falls into place.

England batsman Alastair Cook believes the new 100-ball format could be the start of an exciting new era in cricket.
"We needed a competition in England to compete with the Big Bash and the IPL - everyone else has one and we've been slow to pick up on it.

"If you do it properly and learn lessons from what the other competitions have done. You can learn a lot from other people's mistakes. There's no point clashing with the World Cup next year so they're going to take their time and introduce it in 2020."

[USofA]

Sometime ago he backed the whole Stanford T20 series. Then sometime later totally dumped on and criticized the IPL. Now he is backing the 100 ball concept.

Can this guy not make up his mind and stick with it.

[JattMaula]

Sometime ago he backed the whole Stanford T20 series. Then sometime later totally dumped on and criticized the IPL. Now he is backing the 100 ball concept.

Can this guy not make up his mind and stick with it.

Its called being a hypocrite.

[GullyCricketFlop]

I can see T10 progressing,but this 100 Ball format is,quite frankly,stupid.

Innovation for the sake of innovation.

[Abdullah719]

[idrizzy]

Netflix is very popular here and is making massive inroads. I have heard that some people are ditching Sky for netflix and free tv. But Sky sports is still popular and because they have the soccer many people buy it. However there are large swathes of the country who simply cant afford the 29.99 plus the 24.99 every month. It simply means that the fan base becomes limited. Free tv still shows soccer and other sports but they Sky has exclusivity of English cricket at home and BT has it for abroad series. Eitehr way you have to pay quite a bit to watch cricket..Hence why the popularity is waning rapidly.

In 2005 during the Ashes which was the last time we had major test cricket on free tv, the country went bananas for cricket..it was great..you had average joes who knew nothing about cricket suddenly interested. Then things went to Sky and its been downhill ever since..

To be fair they still show the cricket highlights on Channel 5. But again, it's not very popular as not a lot of people know when England play cricket, or is it televised as much on large broadcast channels like BBC, ITV.

Cricket on the BBC would change a lot of things though. Hopefully a WC can be shown on there, even if it means having a few matches come on BBC Four. I feel like cricket is akin to tennis where the only reason there is interest is because of how Wimbledon gets broadcasted on BBC. Wonder where tennis would be without it, eh?

[Abdullah719]

MCC optimistic about success of The Hundred

Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) officials gave a guarded welcome to plans for a new 100-balls-per-side competition in the English domestic game after being told it would still “look like a normal game of cricket”.

The England and Wales Cricket Board’s proposal for the new tournament, set to launch in 2020, has proved hugely controversial.

Critics have bemoaned the ‘dumbing down’ of the game given plans to ditch traditional overs and questioned the need for a new format given the global popularity of T20.

ECB chief commercial officer Sanjay Patel told MCC’s world cricket committee, an advisory group chaired by former England captain Mike Gatting and whose members include MCC head of cricket John Stephenson and Australia great Ricky Ponting, that prospective playing conditions would likely include 20 sequences of five balls rather than the traditional six-ball over.

“Basically, they’re still developing the concept,” Stephenson told reporters at Lord’s on Tuesday. “As custodians of the Laws of the game, what we’re concerned about is if you modify the game of cricket too much it ceases to look like cricket. (But) what we heard this morning from Sanjay was quite reassuring… they’re still developing how the final format will be.”

The former England international added: “The current thinking is 20 five-ball ‘overs’, but I think today was part of their consultation. I think at the maximum, they’re looking at having a substitute fielder. But I think what that’s about is performance — having the best fielders out there at the right time to field. But at the moment, as far as I can make out, they’ll have 11 batsmen, they won’t have ‘overs’ per se but 100 balls, 20 balls per bowler. Apart from that, it’ll look like a normal game of cricket.”

Ponting, who was alongside Gatting and Stephenson, added: “The reasons they are looking for something different is that the T20 game probably hasn’t reached a level (of popularity) in England that it has in some other countries.

“A lot of the feedback they heard from people that are not necessarily cricket lovers is that they find the game of cricket boring, and not interesting. So they’re trying to find a way to attract the audiences and make the game slightly different.”

But further details from the ECB remain scarce and former Australia captain Ponting said: “I’m not sure they’ve totally got their head around how they want the game to look… they’re even talking about it not being called overs, just 100 balls. It’s 20 lots of five, the way they’re looking at it.”

He added: “There’s all sorts of things they need to get their heads around — it’s still at the very embryonic stage.”

“Time is going to come up on them pretty quickly, and I guess the more focus groups and discussions they can have with committees and panels like us, the better off they’re going to be in the long run.”

https://tribune.com.pk/story/1776117...ccess-hundred/

[MenInG]

http://www.skysports.com/cricket/new...ll-competition

Trent Bridge will host three days of trial matches for the proposed 100-ball competition, which is set to get underway in 2020.

The home of Nottinghamshire will play host to three men's games from September 16-18, with three women's games taking place at Loughborough on September 14, 15 and 27.

Teams are yet to be decided, but England internationals could be among those taking part, including Nottinghamshire's Alex Hales.

The concept of 15 six-ball overs and one closing 10-ball over will be tested, with players being asked to provide feedback.

Professional Cricketers' Association chairman and Worcestershire batsman Daryl Mitchell said: "The trials will provide an opportunity for players to get involved and to experiment various elements of the playing conditions which will be tested before providing feedback to the ECB on if the format is workable.

"After the proposed 100-ball format was announced in April, consultation with PCA members has been regular, with numerous conversations and meetings between the ECB, PCA and player representatives to discuss playing regulations.

"With the extremely packed schedule, we are grateful for Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire for cancelling their scheduled 2nd XI friendly to provide players while Nottinghamshire and Lancashire do not have a 1st XI fixture.

"We are hopeful the majority of counties will have a representative although with some counties having 1st XI and 2nd XI fixtures it will not be possible to have a player from each of the 18 counties.

"The current plan is to have three or four XIs to maximise the investigations on the three days whilst making sure workload for players is manageable."

[Nikhil_cric]

Yep. Once again a terrific move by ECB to destroy cricket. The same reason s given by Mr. Graves were given back in the early noughties for the introduction of T20 cricket because 50 over cricket wasn't attractive enough. 3 formats is already overkill. But of course, the English are the guardians of all that is good and traditional in cricket. Their wisdom is unquestionable

[Arham_PakFan]

If they do 5 ball overs only,it will still technically be T20 cricket.So no point trialling that.

T10 is enough for a short format.Don’t need this Hundred stuff.

[Last Monetarist]

It's becoming very hard not to love Virat Kohli. His comments on this monstrosity that is 'The Hundred'

Virat Kohli has poured scorn on the ECB’s new 100-ball format called The Hundred, saying he does not want to be part of an experiment.

The India captain said commercialism “is taking over the real quality of cricket” and as a Test player he would not join the England and Wales Cricket Board’s city-based competition when it launches in 2020, adding: “I cannot think of one more format.”

Kohli is not convinced the ECB’s innovations, including five-ball overs bowled in pairs before changing ends each 10 deliveries, will lure a new generation of fans.

In an interview with Wisden Cricket Monthly, Kohli said: “Obviously for the people involved in the whole process and the set-up it will be really exciting but I cannot think of one more format, to be honest.

“I’m already very … I wouldn’t say frustrated but sometimes it can get very demanding of you when you have to play so much cricket regularly. I feel somewhere the commercial aspect is taking over the real quality of cricket and that hurts me.

“I don’t want to be a testing sort of a cricketer for any new format. I don’t want to be someone who’s going to be part of that World XI who comes and launches the 100-ball format.

“I love playing the IPL, I love watching the BBL, because you’re working towards something, competing against high-quality sides and it gets your competitive juices flowing. That’s what you want as a cricketer. I’m all for the leagues but not to experiment.”

Kohli, though, still wants to play in the County Championship. A neck injury prevented him playing for Surrey before India’s tour.

“County cricket always intrigued me. Unfortunately it couldn’t happen this time but I would love to come again. I’ve heard so much from so many players over so many years that it has really helped them understand their games even better. Also just to understand how professional the set-up over here is, how the longest format of the game is looked at with so much respect.’’

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...ed-thumbs-down

Not that the detestable lunatics at the ECB will listen. Unlikely as it is, it probably needs Root, Bairstow, Stokes, and Buttler to collectively add their voices in protest at this appalling prospect before anyone will listen.

[giri26]

Virat Kohli does not seem to enthusiastic about The Hundred, the inter-city 100-ball format of cricket planned by ECB, pointing out how commercialism “is taking over the real quality of cricket,” as he told Wisden Cricket Monthly ahead of the fourth Test between India and England, at Rose Bowl, Southampton. In fact, Kohli has announced that he is definitely not going to be part of the tournament. The idea of five-ball overs, with two overs bowled from a side before change of ends, has not impressed him one bit.

Kohli added: “Obviously for the people involved in the whole process and the set-up it will be really exciting but I cannot think of one more format, to be honest. I’m already very … I wouldn’t say frustrated, but sometimes it can get very demanding of you when you have to play so much cricket regularly. I feel somewhere the commercial aspect is taking over the real quality of cricket and that hurts me.

“I don’t want to be a testing sort of a cricketer for any new format. I don’t want to be someone who’s going to be part of that World XI who comes and launches the 100-ball format.

“I love playing the IPL, I love watching the BBL, because you’re working towards something, competing against high-quality sides and it gets your competitive juices flowing. That’s what you want as a cricketer. I’m all for the leagues but not to experiment.”

Having said that, Kohli still wants to be a part of the County Championship. He had signed up for a one-month stint with Surrey before a neck injury ruled him out: “County cricket always intrigued me. Unfortunately it couldn’t happen this time but I would love to come again. I’ve heard so much from so many players over so many years that it has really helped them understand their games even better. Also just to understand how professional the set-up over here is, how the longest format of the game is looked at with so much respect.’’

https://www.cricketcountry.com/news/...cricket-739980

[silentkiller187]

Kohli only speaking up because the "100" will be aiming to rival the IPL. I am sure his Indian taskmasters have circulated plenty of negative press releases to share with the British media.

[MP2011]

Lol at this 100 whatever rivalling IPL!!

Is that someone from ECB?

[CricketCartoons]

Great to see the purists united against this new format and supporting the classical T20 format.

[Last Monetarist]

T20 cricket at least bears some resemblance to actual cricket (6 ball overs, 11 men in each side etc). The Hundred is just a cynical manoeuvre to gain favour with the BBC while pouring scorn on actual cricket fans by essentially telling them that the ECB doesn't care about their opinion or money. They are also patronizing casual non-fans (women and children) by suggesting that they will find this format more palatable because 6 ball overs are too complicated. The ECB deserve to go under for this stunt.

[silentkiller187]

Lol at this 100 whatever rivalling IPL!!

Is that someone from ECB?

Marketing-wise of course it is, ECB missed out on cashing in on their original creation, so they need to create something that will rival the biggest "club" tournament currently in existence, the IPL, or was it the PSL if you want to talk about quality of cricket on show

[MP2011]

so or was it the PSL if you want to talk about quality of cricket on show

Yeah, sure.

[MenInG]

The England and Wales Cricket Board has applied for overseas trademarks for the format for its new competition, which is to be introduced in 2020.

Nations planning to run their own version may have to seek ECB approval.

The ECB has filed to trademark "The Hundred" in India, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland, and is understood to be considering other countries.

The tournament's format, which is set to take place over 100 balls per innings, will be trialled from Friday.

An overseas trademark could mean that the ECB could demand payment from other international boards that want to play a version of the 100-ball format.

However, it is thought to be too early in the development of the format for the ECB to consider charging for its use.

Still, the ECB sees the application for a trademark as prudent given the investment, research and marketing that has so far gone into or will go into the new competition.

It was the ECB who first demonstrated that professional 20-over cricket could be a commercial success after launching the Twenty20 Cup in 2003, with a host of other nations then establishing their own T20 leagues.

The ECB applied to trademark the new competition in the UK on 13 March, around a month before its plans for the new format were made public.

That application is currently being opposed by a US-based clothing company that operates in the UK and trades on the website thehundreds.com.

The ECB has developed the new tournament - which will be played by eight city-based teams in both men's and women's cricket - in order to attract, in its own words, "a younger audience and new fans".

A number of England international players have backed the concept, but the Professional Cricketers' Association has expressed its concern and India captain Virat Kohli has said he cannot imagine the need for another form of the game.

After its initial trademark application was submitted in the UK, the ECB had a six-month period in which it had priority for a similar submission in individual overseas countries.

The applications in India, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland were made on Monday, just before the six months expired.

On Friday, the first of six pilot days for "The Hundred" will begin with female players taking part in trials at Loughborough.

Women's teams will feature again on Saturday and on Thursday, 27 September, while men's sides will be involved at Trent Bridge on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

The trials will not solely be full 100-ball matches, but also various scenarios and sequences of play.

At the end of each day, the ECB will collect feedback from those taking part on the flow and duration of the game, tactical innovation and player enjoyment.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/45515806

[MenInG]

Having initially decided on full and complete ownership of The 100, the new eight-team tournament scheduled for 2020, the ECB are now considering the advantages of the private ownership model employed by the IPL, The Cricketer understands.

The escalating costs of launching The Hundred (up to £40m at the last count), and the significant marketing advantages of outside investment, are two reasons for the ECB to be looking at their options.

The likelihood is that the ECB will retain ownership in the early stages of The 100 but might ultimately look to sell teams or shares in them at some juncture. The counties had initially voted on a T20 tournament owned by the ECB.

The 100 still looks on track, however, with a county chief telling The Cricketer “the ECB are still listening” to their concerns ahead of the next board meeting on November 28.

Action from this year's T20 Blast

The original prospectus of the IPL was designed to attract private investment and did so to the tune of more than $700m. The teams were bought by a range of individuals and consortiums for amounts ranging between $112m (Mumbai Indians) and $67m (Rajasthan Royals).

It lured big business to the table in the shape of Mukesh Ambani – the richest man in India – and other giant corporations and significant financial investment from Bollywood too. In return they receive a declining share of central broadcast and sponsorship revenue.

It was the involvement of the super-rich, the major corporations and India’s billion-dollar movie industry that instantly elevated the IPL to global status and gave it pulling power beyond the national cricket boards. It also attracted more than $1bn in TV rights for the first years of the tournament. The IPL’s worth was recently valued at $5.3bn, on a par with Premier League football.

Cricket Australia originally entertained the idea of putting ownership of Big Bash teams out to tender but eventually decided to retain control and the teams are owned by the individual state associations (effectively CA). The competition lost $33m in its first five years of operation.

Fans enjoy T20 Blast Finals Day

There are obvious fears that to cede ownership of The Hundred would make the competition – and therefore the ECB – hostage to the fortunes and behaviour of external businesses, especially in the light of the betting scandals that have afflicted the IPL. But with strong governance and a strict code of conduct (ultimately instigated by the Supreme Court in India) order and integrity can be maintained.

The advantages in outside investment in The Hundred would be not just the initial income, but the influence and marketing spend of the investors to appeal to a broader population than those within cricket could reach.

This would include investment from the subcontinent, which could pave the way for the involvement of top Indian players. In an attempt to appeal to the South Asian community, that for the ECB would represent the holy grail.

https://www.thecricketer.com/Topics/...form=hootsuite

[MenInG]

ECB today confirmed that the First-Class Counties of England and Wales have agreed to a 100-ball format for the New Competition, now officially known as The Hundred.

The key elements of the new white-ball game for 2020 will be:

100 balls per innings
A change of ends after ten balls
Bowlers deliver either five or ten consecutive balls
Each bowler can deliver a maximum of 20 balls per game
Each bowling side gets a strategic timeout of up to two and a half minutes
A 25-ball powerplay start for each team
Two fielders are allowed outside of the initial 30-yard circle during the powerplay
These playing conditions had been recommended by ECB’s Cricket Committee and were endorsed by the ECB Board in the autumn. In keeping with proper governance process, the 18 First-Class Counties were then asked to formally vote on the proposed format.

The voting process started after a Whole Game meeting in January - where a game-wide strategy for 2020-24 was presented - and the final vote was received this week. A two-thirds majority in favour was required for the 100-ball format to be agreed and this was exceeded with the counties voting 17-1 in favour.

ECB Chief Executive Officer Tom Harrison, said:

“This is a significant step, with overwhelming support for The Hundred.

“Over the last three years we have worked closely with the whole game to create an important opportunity for the whole game.

“This new competition has already helped to secure vital new partnerships and substantial broadcast revenues and it will help us to meet the ambitions of our game-wide strategy for 2020-24 – Inspiring Generations. The Hundred will help cricket to reach more people.

“We remain totally committed to the existing, popular forms of cricket and will be committing significant funds and focus to all levels of the game, protecting and nurturing the core whilst reaching out to a wider audience.”

Starting in 2020, The Hundred will feature eight new city-based teams playing the competition over a five-week period in the height of summer. The team identities will now be agreed and a Player Draft scheduled for this autumn. Sanjay Patel will take up the full-time role of Managing Director for the competition in April.

Confirming the next steps, Sanjay Patel, Managing Director, The Hundred, said:

“This agreement for the playing conditions shows the confidence that the Counties have in the new competition and their desire to help take cricket to more people.

“You will now see an acceleration in the progress of The Hundred and a series of significant building blocks over the coming months, before our first ever Player Draft in the autumn.

“The next major step will be to confirm the team identities, with their names and kit colours, following months of research and consultation and, operationally, the new competition team will be able to move into the next phase of developing The Hundred.”

[MenInG]

Wonder what extra interest would 100 bring to English Cricket? I feel its still attracting top cricket talent from around the world - latest case is Babar Azam but I am sure there will be more.

[USofA]

Wonder what extra interest would 100 bring to English Cricket? I feel its still attracting top cricket talent from around the world - latest case is Babar Azam but I am sure there will be more.

Not sure if I agree with this. How many of the top cricketers play for Counties?

Unless you meant that the 100 will attract top talent. In which case, my apologies.

[Hasan123]

1 year out and we don't really know much about this tournament. A little worrying imo. I think they went for a 100 ball for branding. They probably are aiming to compete with the IPL . Won't be easy.

[Markhor]

1 year out and we don't really know much about this tournament. A little worrying imo. I think they went for a 100 ball for branding. They probably are aiming to compete with the IPL . Won't be easy.

This is an absolute farce and doesn't even deserve to be called cricket. Why is ECB reinventing the wheel when T20s are perfectly fine as it is ?

Just put the T20 Blast on the BBC.

[Hasan123]

This is an absolute farce and doesn't even deserve to be called cricket. Why is ECB reinventing the wheel when T20s are perfectly fine as it is ?

Just put the T20 Blast on the BBC.

The 100 ball is a brand thing imo. They want to be revolutionary. But I think they have been stupid. We have not much information on this and it's 1 year away.

Awful planning so far by the ECB.