‘Bas Hawa nikal gayi’- Fans react as reports suggest that The Hundred could be dissolved by ECB going forward
Amidst English Cricket going from strength to strength, there is some news coming in that could potentially shake the domestic system. The Hundred along with the T20 blast would be replaced with another short-form competition. This decision will go through some rounds of talks between the England Cricket Board (ECB) and the chiefs of the County. The main men in the counties have spotted a red flag in the system and said that two short-form tournaments will not be sustainable in the long run.
One option that was mooted was to take the Hundred Ball tournament from the English cricket calendar altogether. Instead of the eight-team Hundred tournament, there would be a T20 League which involves all the eighteen counties in English cricket. The model of ownership could be slightly different with private participation and investment. One way they are planning to look at it is that it will be a shared ownership model between the private investors, the county and the cricket board.
Richard Gould said that the next bidding for England cricket broadcast rights would take place only in 2028
If this change were to happen, then it would throw a spanner in the works for the Women’s Hundred as it was very successful in drawing crowds and young people to fall in love with cricket in England. Although this proposal is in the works no concrete changes regarding the same are expected to be done before 2025 or even as late as 2028 given the current cricket broadcast deals being in place.
Richard Gould, chief executive of the ECB said that the next bidding for English cricket broadcast rights would take place only from 2028. However, in a first women’s rights will be sold independently and the same goes for men’s rights. However, there are a lot of talks to hold and ensure that everyone is on the same page when any ratifications to the existing lineups of competitions take place.
The Hundred Ball tournament per se has been well received by both men and women overseas cricketers. The ECB on its part is yet to look into detail on the matter and issue any orders regarding it. Without the Hundred English cricket would bear a slightly different outlook going forward in comparison to its present.
Let us take a look at the reactions on Twitter:
LoL…It was a sham from the start🤣
— Ajinkya Darshane (@ajinkyadarshane) July 19, 2023
Reason : It's loss making. Vitality blast is giving them returns.
— Rahul 🇮🇳 (@Atoner_sharma) July 18, 2023
— MainHoonShiv (@Shiiiivansh) July 18, 2023
I am just glad i won't have to see that horrendous scoreboard on the screen.
— Rahulism (@Rahulism09) July 18, 2023
A failed innovation?
— Aayush Mahajan (@CricGlance) July 18, 2023
It was always going to be flop because they made cricket more complicated in these hundred and England used to play international cricket whenever hundred was going on.
— Hamza Azhar (@HamzaAz71) July 18, 2023
The Blast is enough. Just needs money injected into it.
— S (@BeardedIchigo) July 18, 2023
Bohot bura Hoa 😂 pic.twitter.com/a9RRcHLwGW
— Hashir | king Babar (@HashirBA56) July 19, 2023
English Premier League cricket version loading…
— Nabab 🇮🇳 (@iNabab7) July 19, 2023
Can keep both by reducing The Blast. 14 games is absurd. 8 group games max. Reality is The Hundred is the biggest ECB success since the launch of central contracts
— Warren Tarling (@wozzajt) July 18, 2023
The Blast is so popular. You could see how emotional players and fans were throughout those games. With such a beautiful set up already there, why did @ECB_cricket come up with The Hundred instead of backing a format that’s already running so well?
— Cricketologist (@AMP86793444) July 15, 2023