The Hundred Cricket Format Explained
What The Hundred is, how the 100-ball format works, the teams involved, and how it differs from T20 cricket.
What Is The Hundred?
The Hundred is a cricket competition created by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and first played in 2021. It is a city-based franchise competition featuring eight teams from England and Wales, each playing 100 balls (not overs) per innings. The 100-ball format was designed to be simpler and more accessible to new audiences who might not be familiar with cricket's traditional over-based scoring.
How The Hundred Format Works
- Each innings consists of exactly 100 balls, not 20 overs of 6 balls
- Bowlers can deliver either 5 or 10 consecutive balls, instead of the standard 6-ball over
- A 25-ball power play at the start of each innings (equivalent to the T20 powerplay)
- Strategic timeouts are taken automatically at the halfway point (50 balls)
- Teams can change ends after each set of 5 or 10 balls
- Both men's and women's competitions run simultaneously with shared venues
The Hundred Teams
- Birmingham Phoenix — Edgbaston
- London Spirit — Lord's
- Manchester Originals — Emirates Old Trafford
- Northern Superchargers — Headingley
- Oval Invincibles — The Oval
- Southern Brave — Ageas Bowl Southampton
- Trent Rockets — Trent Bridge
- Welsh Fire — Sophia Gardens Cardiff
Frequently asked questions
Is The Hundred the same as T20 cricket?
No — The Hundred uses 100 balls per innings instead of 120 balls (20 overs of 6) in T20. Bowlers bowl in sets of 5 or 10 balls rather than 6-ball overs. However, the general format and atmosphere are similar, targeting similar short-format cricket audiences.
Do overseas players play in The Hundred?
Yes — each Hundred team can include overseas players in their squad. The competition attracts major international names due to its English summer timing and the ECB's broadcast investment.