The Hundred Competition Explained
Everything you need to know about The Hundred — the ECB's 100-ball franchise competition, its format, teams, and how it differs from T20 cricket.
What Is The Hundred?
The Hundred is a franchise cricket competition created by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and launched in 2021. Each match lasts 100 balls per innings — five fewer than a T20 match of 20 six-ball overs. The competition was designed to attract a new, younger audience to cricket with a shorter, more predictable total match time of around 2.5 hours.
The Eight Teams
- London Spirit (Lord's Cricket Ground)
- Oval Invincibles (The Kia Oval, London)
- Manchester Originals (Emirates Old Trafford)
- Northern Superchargers (Headingley, Leeds)
- Birmingham Phoenix (Edgbaston)
- Trent Rockets (Trent Bridge, Nottingham)
- Welsh Fire (Sophia Gardens, Cardiff)
- Southern Brave (The Ageas Bowl, Southampton)
How the Format Works
Each innings consists of 100 balls. The bowling is delivered in 'sets' of five or ten consecutive balls from one end. Bowlers can bowl a maximum of 20 balls per match (two full sets of ten or four sets of five). There are no overs in the traditional sense — the fielding restrictions (power play rules) apply for the first 25 balls of each innings, with a maximum of five fielders outside the inner ring.
Key Differences from T20
| Feature | The Hundred | T20 |
|---|---|---|
| Balls per innings | 100 | 120 (20 overs × 6) |
| Bowling unit | Sets of 5 or 10 balls | Overs of 6 balls |
| Max bowler balls | 20 per match | 24 (4 overs) |
| Power play balls | First 25 | First 30 (5 overs) |
| Teams | 8 city franchises | 18 counties (Blast) |
Men's and Women's Competitions
The Hundred runs both men's and women's competitions concurrently, with women's matches often played as double-headers before the men's games. This has significantly raised the profile of women's cricket in England.
Frequently asked questions
Why 100 balls instead of 120 (T20)?
The ECB chose 100 balls for easier fan-tracking of the game: a countdown from 100 to 0 is intuitive, and the shorter match time targets families and casual fans who find a full T20 too long.
Which team has won The Hundred the most times?
Oval Invincibles won the inaugural men's title in 2021. Southern Brave won in 2022 and 2023. Results vary year to year across the eight franchises.
Can international players play in The Hundred?
Yes — The Hundred runs in July–August, and overseas players who are available from international commitments can be selected. Draft rules and salary caps apply.