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Two-month season could push The Hundred to 2021 – Durham CEO

by Wisden Staff 2 minute read

The inaugural edition of The Hundred could be postponed till 2021 if the English domestic season is cut to two months, according to Durham chief executive Tim Bostock.

Last week the ECB announced that no professional cricket will be played in England and Wales before May 28 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The board revealed it had “begun modelling a range of options to start the season in June, July or August”, and was prioritising international cricket, the T20 Blast and The Hundred – its “most financially important forms of cricket” – to help benefit the 18 first-class counties.

However, following talks between the ECB and the first-class counties, Bostock has revealed that the first season of the board’s new 100-ball competition could be next year, depending on when the domestic summer begins.

“The good news is we’re all on the same path in terms of what the priorities are, and that includes the ECB as well,” Rostock told ‘The Cricket Collective’ on talkSPORT 2. “It’s pretty clear international cricket comes first then after that it’s the Blast and the Hundred. That’s where the revenue is.

“Protecting the Hundred is important, although in the conversations I’ve had with the ECB, if it ends up being a two-month season – which is possible – a view will be taken about whether this is really the right time to launch the Hundred.

“Tom Harrison [ECB chief executive] has been really pragmatic. I certainly get the impression if we get a two-month season the pragmatic view would be what’s the point of launching this competition now? Let’s launch it properly next year. I think we’re all on the same page.”

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