After being postponed last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the first edition of The Hundred will take place this year. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has introduced this new competition, aiming to attract newer fans to cricket.
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The Hundred will not have ‘overs’ like traditional cricket. Generally, in ODI matches, there are 50 overs, while in T20Is, there are 20 overs. In T10 cricket, there are 10 overs in each innings, but in The Hundred, the two innings will have 100 balls each.
Eight clubs namely Manchester Originals, Trent Rockets, Welsh Fire, Northern Superchargers, Birmingham Phoenix, London Spirit, Oval Invincibles and Southern Brave are a part of the competition. Each club will field its one men’s team and one women’s team in The Hundred 2021.
The Hundred was set to take place in 2020. However, due to the global pandemic, the ECB had no other option but to delay the event by a year. The Hundred 2021 will officially begin on July 21, 2021 with a fixture between the women’s sides of the Oval Invincibles and Manchester Originals.
Although not a single ball has been bowled so far in this competition, many experts have offered their views on The Hundred. While some have favored the ECB’s decision to introduce a new format, many feel that it was unnecessary.
All matches of The Hundred will have 200 legal deliveries. Each team will get to face 100 balls in their innings. Unlike traditional cricket, change of ends will be after ten balls and not after every over. A bowler can bowl five or ten consecutive deliveries, depending on his captain’s wish.
A bowler can bowl a maximum of 20 balls in one match. The powerplay will last for 25 deliveries i.e. the first quarter of the innings. The team that scores the most runs will win the battle.
Matches of The Hundred 2021 will take place across eight venues in England and Wales. Edgbaston, Emerald Headingley, Emirates Old Trafford, Lord’s, Sophia Gardens, The Ageas Bowl, The Kia Oval and Trent Bridge will play host to the matches.
The final matches of both the men’s and the women’s tournament will happen on August 21 at Lord’s.
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