The playing conditions for the ECB’s new 100-ball competition has been confirmed, along with its name, which is, as expected, The Hundred.
Bowlers will be allowed to bowl ‘overs’ of five or 10 balls, with a change of ends after every 10 balls. Each bowler can bowl 20 balls per game, and there will be a 25-ball Powerplay, in which two fielders are allowed outside of the 30-yard circle, at the start of each innings.
The strategic time-out, an IPL favourite, will also be making an appearance, with the bowling side able to take up to two and a half minutes. And there will, of course, be 100 balls per innings.
The playing conditions were ratified by a vote including all 18 first-class counties, and passed with a margin of 17-1. A two-thirds majority was required to approve the changes.
“This is a significant step, with overwhelming support for The Hundred,” said ECB CEO Tom Harrison. “Over the last three years we have worked closely with the whole game to create an important opportunity for the whole game.
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The Oval is reportedly in danger of losing the right to host games in The Hundred[/caption]
“This new competition has already helped to secure vital new partnerships and substantial broadcast revenues and it will help us to meet the ambitions of our game-wide strategy for 2020-24 – ‘Inspiring Generations’. The Hundred will help cricket to reach more people.
“We remain totally committed to the existing, popular forms of cricket and will be committing significant funds and focus to all levels of the game, protecting and nurturing the core whilst reaching out to a wider audience.”
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There is still much left to be decided, including the team names and even the grounds they will play at. “You will now see an acceleration in the progress of The Hundred and a series of significant building blocks over the coming months, before our first ever player draft in the autumn,” said Sanjay Patel, managing director of The Hundred.
“The next major step will be to confirm the team identities, with their names and kit colours, following months of research and consultation and, operationally, the new competition team will be able to move into the next phase of developing The Hundred.”
