The Hundred: England's 100-Ball Format Cricket Competition
How The Hundred works — its rules, teams, format differences from T20, and why the ECB launched it despite controversy from county cricket fans.
The Hundred is England and Wales's newest cricket competition — a 100-ball per innings format launched in 2021 by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Designed to attract younger fans and a broader audience, it has been both commercially successful and deeply controversial within the cricket community.
How The Hundred Works
Each innings in The Hundred consists of exactly 100 balls. Bowlers bowl in either 5-ball or 10-ball spells (not the standard 6-ball over). The 'change of end' happens every 10 balls rather than every 6. A bowler can bowl no more than 20 balls per innings. Free hits are awarded for any no-ball (including front-foot no-balls), as in T20 cricket.
| Feature | The Hundred | T20 Cricket |
|---|---|---|
| Balls per innings | 100 | 120 (20 overs) |
| Ball groupings | 5 or 10 balls | 6-ball overs |
| Max balls per bowler | 20 (1/5 of innings) | 24 (4 overs) |
| Powerplay | First 25 balls | First 6 overs |
| Format duration | ~2.5 hours | ~3 hours |
Teams
The Hundred has eight city-based franchises — not county cricket teams. Each franchise draws players from a pool across counties in its region. The eight teams are: Birmingham Phoenix, London Spirit, Manchester Originals, Northern Superchargers, Oval Invincibles, Southern Brave, Trent Rockets, and Welsh Fire.
Men's and Women's Competition
The Hundred runs both men's and women's competitions, with women's matches played at the same venues as the men's matches — sometimes back-to-back on the same day as a doubleheader. This was a deliberate ECB decision to raise the profile of women's cricket. The women's competition has been praised as a successful vehicle for growing the women's game.
Controversy
The Hundred has faced sustained criticism from county cricket fans and traditionalists who argue it devalues the County Championship by scheduling it around The Hundred window (July–August). The non-county franchise model is also seen as undermining county cricket's community identity. Supporters argue it has succeeded in its primary goal: bringing in new, younger fans.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between The Hundred and T20?
The Hundred uses 100 balls per innings instead of 120 (T20's 20 overs). Balls are grouped in sets of 5 or 10 rather than 6-ball overs. It runs slightly shorter (~2.5 hours vs ~3 hours) and has been designed with a more entertainment-focused presentation, including in-ground music and a simplified commentary style aimed at non-cricket fans.
Who plays in The Hundred?
The Hundred has eight franchises whose players are allocated from a draft of available domestic and international players. English county players are allocated to their regional franchise's roster. International players are signed by franchises. The same eight franchises run in both the men's and women's competitions.
Is The Hundred free to air?
Partially. The Hundred's broadcast deal (as of 2023–25) includes matches on BBC One and BBC Two (free-to-air) as well as Sky Sports (pay-TV). This mixed model — with some free-to-air matches — was a deliberate choice to build a broad new audience.