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ECB to reconsider The Hundred refund policy after sexism row

by Wisden Staff 4 minute read

The ECB has said it will reconsider its refund policy for The Hundred after supporters at Lord’s on Sunday were offered a full refund despite witnessing an entire women’s match.

After Oval Invincibles’ women’s side defeated London Spirit in the afternoon, the two London-based sides in the men’s competition were set to take on each other at the same venue before rain forced an abandonment without a ball being bowled. While a ticket for the day permitted watching both matches, more than 13,000 fans were able to claim a full refund. Had the roles been reversed – with the women’s match abandoned and the men’s game taking place – there would have been no refund per the ECB’s policy.

The policy was met with criticism on social media, with former Middlesex Women’s captain and Telegraph journalist Isabelle Westbury labelling it as an “error of judgement by ECB” while adding that the move was more “oversight rather than any intentional devaluing of the game”.

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An ECB spokesperson told the Telegraph:  “With the women’s competition securing amazing support from fans, we need to consider if our current approach is now the appropriate one.”

The Hundred has been marketed by the ECB as a step towards gender parity in cricket, and the tournament opened with a women’s match between the Invincibles and Manchester Originals last Wednesday.

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