The Hundred: England's 100-Ball Competition Explained
The Hundred is a cricket competition launched by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in 2021 featuring 100-ball innings (instead of the 120-ball T20 format). Each innings consists of 100 balls bowled in sets of 5 or 10 from alternating ends, with a bowler maximum of 20 balls per innings. The Hundred has 8 city-based teams (men's and women's competitions running simultaneously at the same venues). It was controversial when launched but has consistently attracted large crowds and new audiences.
The Hundred background: the ECB created The Hundred to reach new audiences who found T20 (120-ball innings) too long and the County Championship too complex. Research suggested casual sports fans found cricket's terminology and structure confusing — The Hundred was designed as a simpler, faster format: 100 balls per side (instead of 120 in T20), with a clear and simple structure that could attract families and non-cricket audiences. The competition launched in 2021 after being delayed one year by COVID-19 (original planned launch was 2020). Eight city franchises compete in both men's and women's competitions.
The Hundred Rules
The Hundred rules: the key differences from T20 cricket: (1) 100-ball innings — each team bats for 100 balls (not 120 balls/20 overs); (2) Balls per set — bowling changes happen in sets of 5 or 10 balls, not 6-ball overs. After each 5 or 10 balls, the bowling end switches (ball delivered from one end, then switches to the other); this removes the concept of 'overs' entirely; (3) Bowler maximum — each bowler can bowl a maximum of 20 balls per innings (instead of T20's maximum of 4 overs/24 balls); (4) Two fielding restrictions phases — the first 25 balls have powerplay restrictions (limited outfielders); the remaining 75 balls have the standard fielding restrictions; (5) No over concept — commentators say 'ball X of 100' rather than 'over Y'; (6) DRS available — standard DRS reviews apply.
The Hundred Teams
The Hundred's 8 teams: Southern Brave (Southampton/Ageas Bowl); Trent Rockets (Nottingham/Trent Bridge); Welsh Fire (Cardiff/Sophia Gardens); London Spirit (Lord's); Oval Invincibles (The Oval/London); Manchester Originals (Old Trafford); Birmingham Phoenix (Edgbaston); Northern Superchargers (Headingley, Leeds). Each franchise competes simultaneously in men's and women's competitions — the women's team plays on the same day at the same venue as the men's (a deliberate attempt to grow women's cricket audiences by co-scheduling with the men's). Women's Hundred players are paid professional wages — a significant development for women's cricket in England.
Overseas Players in Hundred
Overseas players: The Hundred allows overseas players (international cricketers) to be recruited to each franchise. Top international players compete alongside English county players: major overseas signings have included Rashid Khan (Afghanistan leg-spinner), Trent Boult (New Zealand fast bowler), Quinton de Kock (South Africa wicketkeeper-batsman), and various IPL-contracted players in their off-season. Each team can have 5 overseas players in their squad, with 3 allowed to play in any one match. The overseas player attraction makes The Hundred a genuine global competition event rather than just a domestic one — comparable to the Big Bash League's overseas player recruitment for adding international quality to a domestic format.
Frequently asked questions
What is The Hundred cricket competition?
The Hundred is a cricket competition run by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), launched in 2021. It features 8 city-based franchises competing in 100-ball format (each team bats 100 balls, not the 120 balls of T20 cricket). Key rules: 100-ball innings with bowling delivered in sets of 5 or 10 balls (alternating ends), each bowler limited to 20 balls per innings. The 8 teams are: Southern Brave, Trent Rockets, Welsh Fire, London Spirit, Oval Invincibles, Manchester Originals, Birmingham Phoenix, and Northern Superchargers. Both men's and women's competitions run simultaneously at the same venues. The Hundred was created to attract new audiences (families, casual sports fans, non-cricket watchers) and has been commercially successful despite controversy from traditional cricket supporters.
How is The Hundred different from T20 cricket?
The Hundred differs from T20 cricket in several ways: (1) Innings length — 100 balls (The Hundred) vs 120 balls/20 overs (T20); each innings is 20 balls/about 3-4 minutes shorter; (2) Bowling structure — The Hundred uses sets of 5 or 10 balls from alternating ends, eliminating the concept of a '6-ball over'; T20 uses standard 6-ball overs; (3) Bowler limit — The Hundred limits bowlers to 20 balls maximum (T20 limits to 24 balls/4 overs); (4) Fielding restrictions phases — The Hundred has a 25-ball powerplay and 75-ball non-powerplay (not identical to T20's 6-over/12-over structure); (5) Branding — 'ball 50 of 100' replaces 'over 8' in commentary. The core cricket skills (batting, bowling, fielding) are identical — the format changes are in structure and labelling rather than fundamental cricket rules.
When did The Hundred start and which team has won it?
The Hundred launched in 2021 after being delayed one year by the COVID-19 pandemic (original planned launch was 2020). The competition's winners by year: 2021 Men's: Southern Brave (beat Birmingham Phoenix in final); 2021 Women's: Oval Invincibles. 2022 Men's: Trent Rockets; 2022 Women's: Oval Invincibles (won both 2021 and 2022 women's titles). 2023 Men's: Oval Invincibles; 2023 Women's: Southern Brave. The Oval Invincibles (the franchise representing The Oval ground in south London) are the most successful franchise across both men's and women's competitions in The Hundred's early history. The competition has been held every July-August in the English summer since its launch.