The Hundred : A New Era
As times go on, institutions and people evolve . They change over time . Cricket is no exception . We have 60 over ODIs in the past , 8 balls an over , power play didn’t exist , the decision review system was a pipe dream and the game had yet to embrace the absolute power of statistics . Why , 15 years ago the T20 format itself did not exist , and now it is the face of commercial cricket .
The sport is going through another such evolution right now , and it is the advent of the Hundred . As the name suggests , the Hundred is a 100 ball innings , designed for shorter and faster games . They are divided into 10 overs of 10 balls each , and with a switch of bowlers offered in the middle of the over . The aim of the format is to revitalise the viewership of the sport , as more and more people are straying away from watching it , citing that it’s too long or boring to see .
The Hundred is the brainchild of the English Cricket Board , who wanted to infuse new domestic talent into limited overs while generating income from the flashy new format ( akin to what IPL did to India and in retrospect to the whole cricketing world ) . Although there are numerous foreign players signed up for the tournament , the emphasis are given to English players .
Another way this is good for the game is the dual approach of the English Cricket Board ( or ECB for short ) to equally promote the men and women’s edition of the sport . This enables the much needed limelight that women’s cricket needed . They have also announced that the prizes and awards for each game would be the same for both genders , a brighter step forward for the upbringing of a previously neglected half of cricket . But it is still important to note that the highest paid woman is getting paid 15,000 pounds while the lowest paid male cricketer has a salary of 24,000 ( with the peak being a whooping 100,000 pounds ) , showing that while we are moving forward , we still have a long way to go .
The opening game of the women’s tournament saw a record 6000 plus audience cheering at the end , showing that the marketing has paid off , even if ever so slightly .
But like with any new fangled extension of an old machine , there will be critics and puritans defending the sanctity of their beloved sport . Some have been saying that The Hundred is no more than a publicity and money grabbing stunt , adding nothing new to the game . Others proclaim that the format will take the English team to new heights in the international stage , referring back to how IPL was a catalyst to the slow approach in India’s domestic cricket scene . Youngsters get to practise , play and pick the brains of some of the best players in the world , and even sharing a dressing room with them ! It is fervently hoped that this even will nourish the talent among the domestic pools of players .
For India and other countries , it is a great resource to tap into and let their representatives show their worth . For example, just recently Jemimah Rodrigues carried her team from a dire position to a victory , breaking the claim that the Indian women team don’t have any game-stoppers of their own . Each game even in The Hundred is an opportunity to cement the spots of the reserve players of other nations .
Personally for me , I feel this a great step for cricket going forward . A shorter and more exciting format of cricket may gather the previously wandering minds of people who did not stop to see a game of cricket . This will lead to more eyeballs on the sport to more money and finally more benefits for the cricketing community as a whole. The second prospect is the hope of cricket in Olympics . Given the sports long winded nature and and the Olympics rapid fire event style , it was not feasible .But if the Hundred is well received , we might see it in the premier sporting event of the world , or if not , at least there is a possibility of a quick fire format of T10 for the Olympics .
So if you have a weekend or a couple of hours free , tune in to watch a game of The Hundred. You won’t regret it .