The Hundred: England's 100-Ball Cricket Competition Explained
The Hundred is England's city-based 100-ball competition, launched in 2021. This guide explains the unique format, ball-counting system and eight city franchises.
The Hundred is England and Wales Cricket Board's city-based 100-ball competition, launched in 2021 after a COVID-delayed start. Unique among cricket competitions, it uses 100 balls per side (not overs) as its core unit, with bowlers bowling in sequences of 5 or 10 balls from either end rather than traditional six-ball overs from one end. The competition uses eight city-based franchises not aligned with county cricket, designed to attract new audiences unfamiliar with the traditional game.
The 100-Ball Format
In The Hundred, each innings lasts 100 balls. Bowlers can bowl 5 consecutive balls from one end and then 5 from the other, or 10 consecutive from one end. A 'set of 5' is the standard unit rather than an over. Each bowler can bowl a maximum of 20 balls per innings. The fielding restrictions mirror T20 cricket (a powerplay of 25 balls at the start, with fielding restrictions). Wickets and scoring are the same as standard limited-overs cricket.
The Eight Franchises
The Hundred's eight franchises are: Birmingham Phoenix, London Spirit, Manchester Originals, Northern Superchargers (based in Leeds), Oval Invincibles (London), Southern Brave (Southampton), Trent Rockets (Nottingham) and Welsh Fire (Cardiff). Each franchise runs both a men's and women's team. Manchester Originals and Oval Invincibles have been among the most successful in the competition's early seasons.
Strategic Differences from T20
The 100-ball format creates subtle strategic differences from T20. The ability to bowl 10 consecutive balls from one end allows a bowler to build a longer spell, potentially more effective against set batters than a 6-ball over can achieve. The 25-ball powerplay (rather than a 6-over/36-ball powerplay in T20) slightly reduces the early-innings scoring opportunity. Captains must manage a 20-ball allocation instead of 4 overs per bowler — creating similar but not identical tactical considerations.
Frequently asked questions
Does The Hundred count as official T20 cricket?
No. The Hundred is a separate format and results do not count as T20 international caps or domestic T20 records. Players in The Hundred are playing a non-standard competition — statistics from The Hundred are tracked separately and not included in T20 career records. The ICC does not recognise it as a formal T20 format.
Will The Hundred format be adopted by other countries?
No other major cricket board has adopted the 100-ball format as of 2026. The ICC has not moved toward standardising The Hundred, and other boards have developed their own T20 franchise competitions. The format remains exclusive to England and Wales, though it continues to be watched with interest by other cricket administrators.