MetaBOT at 07:23, 15 July 2023

2023-07-15T07:23:41Z

New page

{{Short description|Format of cricket}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2018}}
{{Cricket sidebar|expanded=all}}
'''100-ball cricket''' is a [[short form cricket|short form of cricket]] designed to attract new audiences to the game with simplified rules, which was originally created by the [[England and Wales Cricket Board]] (ECB) for its new city-based competition [[The Hundred (cricket)|The Hundred]].

The 100 [[delivery (cricket)|ball]] game has two teams each having a single [[innings]], which is restricted to a maximum of 100 balls, and the match lasts approximately two and a half hours, somewhat shorter than the existing [[Twenty20]] format.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehundred.com/info/competition-rules|title = Competition Rules}}</ref>

Before the launch of the professional [[The Hundred (cricket)|The Hundred]] competition in July 2021, the 100-ball format was trialled in several amateur local leagues across England.

==History==

=== Origins ===
The new 100-ball format was born out of a proposal by the [[England and Wales Cricket Board]] (ECB) in 2016 to launch a new franchise cricket competition, similar to the [[Indian Premier League]]. At first it was expected that the competition would use the existing [[Twenty20]] format.<ref name="BBC 2016">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/37365637|title=T20: English counties vote for new eight-team competition|publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=7 June 2019|date=14 September 2016}}</ref>

Following discussions involving the ECB's marketing team, clubs were instead told in April 2018 that the competition would use an entirely new form of cricket designed to be simpler to follow and shorter to fit television schedules. The more detailed proposal was presented by the ECB to the chair and chief executives of the first-class counties and the MCC on 19 April 2018, and was unanimously supported by the board of the new competition.<ref name="Unveils">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/apr/19/ecb-unveil-plans-100-ball-domestic-cricket-tournament|title=ECB unveils plans for tournament with 100-ball format and 10-ball special over|publisher=Guardian News and Media|work=The Guardian|access-date=21 April 2018|author=Ali Martin|date=19 April 2018}}</ref> At first it was proposed that each innings would involve 15 six-ball overs and a final 10-ball over.<ref>{{Cite news|author=Dan Roan|date=19 April 2018|title=ECB holds talks to introduce 100-ball format to new competition|publisher=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/43824037|access-date=19 July 2018}}</ref>

In February 2019, the [[England and Wales Cricket Board|ECB]] announced tweaks to the proposed rules of 100-ball cricket. The competition will instead contain 10 ten-ball overs, i.e. a change of ends after ten balls. A bowler will be delivering five or 10 consecutive balls. A bowler would deliver a maximum of 20 balls per innings. Power-play conditions were also announced.<ref>{{cite news|date=21 February 2019|title=Playing conditions for The Hundred confirmed|publisher=ECB|url=https://www.ecb.co.uk/news/1058745/playing-conditions-for-the-hundred-confirmed|access-date=19 June 2019}}</ref>

=== Amateur competitions ===
Trial events using the format have taken place at The Purchasers annual cricket festival at Belmont House in Kent, and [[club cricket|club level]] in [[England]].

In November 2018, the Warwickshire Cricket Board and [[Warwickshire County Cricket Club]] launched the 100-ball format club level tournament, which is designed to revitalise Sunday cricket at clubs across the Midlands. Called the Warwickshire Sunday Smash, the 16 team tournament is split into three divisions, with each side playing each team both home and away, throughout June and July. The teams include Solihull Blossomfield Cricket Club, Knowle & Dorridge, Sutton Coldfield, Bedworth, Alcester & Ragley, Stratford upon Avon, Water Orton, Four Oaks Saints, Moseley Ashfield and Aston Manor, who are all members of the Midlands Club Cricket Conference. The winners of each league and the best second place progressing to the Semi-Finals Day. The Finals Day took place on 1 September 2019 at [[Edgbaston Cricket Ground|Edgbaston]]. Stratford Upon Avon beat Knowle & Dorridge to win the first 100 ball competition in the U.K.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://warwickshireccc.com/news/warwickshire-sunday-smash-starts-with-a-bang/|title=Warwickshire Sunday Smash starts with a bang|publisher=Warwickshire County Cricket Club |access-date=11 June 2019|author=Mat Collis|date=11 June 2019}}</ref>

[[Shropshire County Cricket Club]] introduced the Swancote Energy Smash, which began in June 2019. It is a six-team tournament that has been divided into two groups, with games being played every Thursday night. The winners of each group is due to play in the inaugural final in early September 2019.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.shropshirestar.com/sport/cricket/2019/06/11/county-to-debut-100-ball-cricket-this-week/|title=County to debut 100-ball cricket this week|publisher=MNA Media|work=Shropshire Star |access-date=11 June 2019|date=11 June 2019}}</ref> The six teams are Shifnal, Claverley, Worfield, Bridgnorth, Chelmarsh and Wombourne.

In May 2021 Shropshire Cricket league launched two 100-ball knock out competitions, known as the Aaron's 100 and Aaron's Premier 100, involving 53 teams from across Shropshire and mid-Wales.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Aaron's Premier 100|url=http://www.shropshirecricketleague.co.uk/the-aarons-premier-100|access-date=2021-05-19|website=Shropshire Cricket League|language=english}}</ref>

[[Cricket Wales]] launched the Cricket Wales U19’s 100 Ball Cup for under 19 year olds.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://cricketwales.org.uk/documents/cricketwales-u19s-100-ball-cup-administration-26521-1363.pdf|title=Cricket Wales U19's 100 Ball Cup 2021 - Competition Administration|publisher=[[Cricket Wales]] |access-date=20 July 2021}}</ref> It started on 25 June 2021 and is due to end with the final on 13 August 2021 at Ynystawe Cricket Club.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://cricketwales.org.uk/under-19-100-ball|title=Cricket Wales - U19's 100 Ball Competition -2021|publisher=[[Cricket Wales]] |access-date=20 July 2021}}</ref>

=== Professional competition ===
The first professional competition using the 100-ball format was [[The Hundred (cricket)|The Hundred]] in July 2021. The Hundred involves eight men's and women's teams across England and Wales. The first professional match using the new format involved the women's teams of the [[Oval Invincibles]] and [[Manchester Originals]] who played each other at [[The Oval]] in London on 21 July 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Hundred|url=https://www.thehundred.com/fixtures|access-date=2021-05-19|website=www.thehundred.com|language=en}}</ref>

The [[Africa Cricket Association]] plans to hold an annual 100-ball competition to further boost the game within the continent.<ref>{{cite web |title=African cricket aiming to 'swap AK-47s for bats' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/africa/63421201 |website=BBC Sport |access-date=19 December 2022}}</ref>

==Format==
100-ball cricket is a form of [[limited overs cricket]], played by two teams each playing a single [[innings]] made up of 100 [[delivery (cricket)|balls]].<ref name="BBC">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/46387938|title=100-ball cricket: New short-form competition confirmed by ECB|publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=7 June 2019|date=29 November 2018}}</ref>

The format of the game is:
*100 balls per innings<ref name="BBC 2019">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/47323641|title=The Hundred: ECB confirms playing conditions for new format|publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=7 June 2019|date=21 February 2019}}</ref>
*A change of ends after 10 balls<ref name="BBC 2019"/>
*Bowlers deliver either five or 10 consecutive balls<ref name="BBC 2019"/>
*Each bowler can deliver a maximum of 20 balls per game<ref name="BBC 2019"/>
*Each bowling side gets a strategic timeout of up to two and a half minutes<ref name="BBC 2019"/>
*A 25-ball [[Powerplay (cricket)|powerplay]] start for each team<ref name="BBC 2019"/>
*Two fielders are allowed outside the initial 30-[[yard]] circle during the powerplay<ref name="BBC 2019"/>
*Teams will be able to call timeouts, as has been the case in the [[Indian Premier League]] since 2009<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/sport/timeouts-to-be-feature-of-the-hundred-6j7dx85sw|title=Strategic timeouts to be feature of The Hundred|author1=Mark Hughes|author2=Elizabeth Ammon|date=15 February 2019|work=The Times}} {{subscription}}</ref>
*The non-striker must return to their original end after a [[caught]] dismissal
*A simplified scoreboard is used<ref name=Scoreboard>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/100-ball-scoreboard-may-be-simplified-to-lure-new-fans-gq8gsljlv|title=100-ball scoreboard may be simplified to lure new fans|author=Elizabeth Ammon|date=26 April 2018|work=The Times}} {{subscription}}</ref>
*In some cases, ties are broken by having each team bat for a 5-ball innings. Subsequent 5-ball innings may be played if the tie persists.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-07-20|title=Explained: The Hundred – cricket's fourth format ready to take off in England|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-the-hundred-crickets-fourth-format-england-7413915/|access-date=2021-07-20|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref>

==Reactions==
Some experts have stated that proposals for the new format outlined by the ECB are nothing more than a further step towards "fast-food cricket",<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/23249618/fast-food-cricket-coming-whether-or-not|title=Fast-food cricket is coming, whether we like it or not|publisher=ESPN|date=19 April 2018|author=George Dobell|work=Cricinfo|access-date=21 April 2018}}</ref> whereas others are appreciating it as a brilliant innovation.

England's then [[Test cricket|Test]] [[Captain (cricket)|captain]], [[Joe Root]], welcomed the ECB's plans for its new-team format in 2020. According to Root, it will attract a completely new audience.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/23301571/the-hundred-bring-new-people-cricket-joe-root|title=The Hundred 'will bring new people to cricket' - Root|publisher=ESPN|date=19 April 2018|author=George Dobell|work=Cricinfo|access-date=24 April 2018}}</ref> ODI and T20 captain, [[Eoin Morgan]], had a similar opinion about this format.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/23325329/eoin-morgan-declares-big-fan-ecb-100-ball-plans|title=Eoin Morgan declares himself a 'big fan' of ECB's 100-ball plans|publisher=ESPN|date=19 April 2018|author1=Andrew Miller|author2=Alan Gardner|work=Cricinfo|access-date=26 April 2018}}</ref> Former T20 captain [[Stuart Broad]] said he was hugely optimistic about the new format.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mixed reaction to ECB's '100-ball' format |url=https://www.cricket.com.au/news/ecb-england-cricket-concept-100-balls-format-critic-player-reaction-poll-broad-atherton/2018-04-20 |website=Cricket.com.au}}</ref> [[Michael Vaughan]] also echoed with Broad and stated that it will be a more appealing concept to broadcasters.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}} [[Michael Atherton]] shared that a T20 match was to be completed in a 3-hour window and this can be achieved with the proposed format.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}}

[[New Zealand national cricket team|New Zealand]] all-rounder [[James Neesham|Jimmy Neesham]] was bemused on this move, asking why the [[England and Wales Cricket Board]] is trying something different when the current format is already so successful.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cricket.com.au/news/ecb-england-cricket-concept-100-balls-format-critic-player-reaction-poll-broad-atherton/2018-04-20|title=Mixed reaction to ECB's '100-ball' format|publisher=Cricket.com|date=20 April 2018|access-date=10 May 2018}}</ref> Current limited overs specialists [[Dawid Malan]] and [[Mark Wood (cricketer)|Mark Wood]] shared that in spite of the new format, T20s will still remain as the preference.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/102782/t20s-main-priority-for-dawid-malan-and-mark-wood-despite-plans-for-100-ball-cricket-tournament|title=Malan, Wood raise concerns over 100-ball tournament|publisher=Cricbuzz|date=8 May 2018|access-date=19 July 2018}}</ref>

Former [[Marylebone Cricket Club|MCC]] chief [[Keith Bradshaw (cricketer)|Keith Bradshaw]] called the 100-ball tournament an innovation for innovation's sake, reasoning that the main reason behind this thought process is that the [[England and Wales Cricket Board|ECB]] couldn't exploit the T20 boom.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/23333334/former-mcc-chief-keith-bradshaw-queries-ecb-innovation-innovation-sake|title=Former MCC chief Keith Bradshaw queries ECB innovation for innovation's sake|publisher=ESPN|author=Andrew Miller|work=Cricinfo|date=27 April 2018|access-date=19 July 2018}}</ref> The England and Wales [[Professional Cricketers' Association]] shared that, overall, players were open to this new idea.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/101934/players-remain-open-minded-about-ecbs-100-ball-proposal-professional-cricketers-association|title=Players remain open-minded about ECB's 100-ball proposal|publisher=Cricbuzz|date=8 May 2018|access-date=17 May 2018|author=Rob Johnston}}</ref>

Meanwhile, [[Cricket Australia]] has no plans to tinker with its existing [[Big Bash League]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/ca-offers-straight-bat-to-100-ball-format-as-challenges-grow-20180420-p4zaqq.html|title=CA offers straight bat to 100-ball format |work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=20 April 2018|access-date=19 July 2018|author=Jon Pierik}}</ref> It also shared a concern that the introduction of shorter formats is further ignoring [[Test cricket]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/100-ball-game-can-prove-a-winner-but-test-cricket-ignored-once-more-20180420-p4zaor.html|title=100-ball game can prove a winner but Test cricket ignored once more|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=21 April 2018|access-date=19 July 2018|author=Michael Vaughan}}</ref>

== Olympic consideration ==
A bid for the sport’s inclusion at [[2028 Summer Olympics|Los Angeles 2028]] has received backing from the [[International Cricket Council|International Cricket Council (ICC)]] but a decision has yet to be made about which format of the game to propose. [[Mahela Jayawardene]] sits on the [[International Cricket Council|ICC’s]] own Cricket Committee, which is considering the format to be proposed and is also coach of the [[Southern Brave]] franchise men's team in [[The Hundred (cricket)|The Hundred]] - a new short form of the game.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2021|title=Cricket great Jayawardene touts divisive Hundred format for Olympic inclusion|url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1110819/jayawardene-hundred-olympics|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-01|website=www.insidethegames.biz|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727040611/https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1110819/jayawardene-hundred-olympics |archive-date=27 July 2021 }}</ref>

"We will have to wait and see once the tournament has kicked off, the enthusiasm for it and how people embrace it," Jayawardene told the ''[[Daily Mail]]''.<ref name=":0" />

"[[Twenty20|T20]] was discussed as a format, [[T10 cricket|T10]] is an option, so why not the Hundred?

"If it goes well, the time is compact and you get to finish in two and a half hours - it would be brilliant."<ref name=":0" />

Any choice of format would have to be approved by the [[International Olympic Committee|IOC]] and fall under the aegis of the recognized International Federation, in this case the [[International Cricket Council|ICC]].<ref name=":0" />

==See also==
*[[The Hundred (cricket)|The Hundred]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* Vithushan Ehantharajah: [https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/104156/england-cricket-orange-ball-at-the-hundred-news Orange ball at The Hundred?] CricBuzz, 20 September 2018
*George Dobell: [http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/26048164/india-players-unlikely-feature-hundred-admits-tom-harrison India players unlikely to feature in The Hundred, admits Tom Harrison] ESPN Cricinfo, 21 February 2019

{{Forms of cricket}}
{{Team sports}}

{{#seo:
|keywords=Limited overs cricket, Short form cricket
|description=100-ball cricket is a short form of cricket designed to attract new audiences to the game with simplified rules, which was originally created by ...
}}

[[Category:Limited overs cricket]]
[[Category:Short form cricket]]

100-ball cricket - Revision history

MetaBOT at 07:23, 15 July 2023