The Hundred Explained: England's 100-Ball Cricket Format and the Franchise Controversy

The Hundred is England and Wales Cricket Board's (ECB) flagship franchise competition, launched in 2021 after a year's delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It uses 100 balls per innings rather than 120 (T20's format), with bowlers delivering sets of 5 consecutive balls from one end before switching. Designed explicitly to attract new audiences — particularly families and young fans unfamiliar with cricket — The Hundred has been both a commercial success and a lightning rod for controversy within English cricket.

The Eight Teams

• Oval Invincibles: based at The Oval, London (south London identity)
• London Spirit: based at Lord's, London (north London identity)
• Manchester Originals: based at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester
• Birmingham Phoenix: based at Edgbaston
• Northern Superchargers: based at Headingley, Leeds
• Southern Brave: based at the Ageas Bowl, Southampton
• Trent Rockets: based at Trent Bridge, Nottingham
• Welsh Fire: based at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff

How the 100-Ball Format Works

Each team faces 100 balls in their innings. Bowlers bowl sets of five consecutive balls from one end, after which the bowling team can switch ends or continue. This means some sets are six-ball overs (continuing from one end) but others are five-ball sets when the end changes. Field restrictions apply: in the powerplay (first 25 balls), only two fielders can be outside the 30-yard circle. After the powerplay, five fielders can be in the outfield. The shorter length creates slightly faster matches than T20 (typically 2.5 hours), which the ECB argues is better suited to new audiences.

The County Cricket Controversy

The Hundred's relationship with England's county cricket has been the most contentious issue in English cricket for years. County clubs argue that the ECB's central ownership of The Hundred — rather than county-affiliated franchises — extracts revenue from the broadcast deal into ECB reserves rather than redistributing it proportionally to county clubs who develop the players. Several county chairmen have publicly opposed The Hundred, arguing it competes with the County Championship for fan attention and player availability.

International Stars and Broadcast Success

The Hundred has attracted international T20 stars in each of its seasons, including Pat Cummins, Andre Russell, Rashid Khan, Sunil Narine, and Smriti Mandhana (in the women's competition). BBC broadcast coverage — including free-to-air television for the first time for a major English cricket competition since 2005 — drove large audiences, particularly for women's Hundred matches. Average women's Hundred match audiences on BBC exceeded 600,000, the highest for women's cricket in England.

Player Reception and Global Recognition

Overseas players have generally responded positively to The Hundred's organisation, pitches, and crowds. The format's shortened length means international players can participate in a complete tournament within a three-week window — less disruptive to international schedules than the full T20 Blast. However, its non-standard ball count (100 balls) means statistics are not directly comparable to T20 cricket, limiting global analytical recognition.