Has The Hundred changed?

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You're listening to the TMS Podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. Hello, I'm Henry Moran. Welcome to the Test Match Special Podcast from Edgbaston as the group stage of The Hundred draws to a close. 32 match days, 64 games in just over 3 weeks. But how much has it all changed? The influx of investment, new team names, new New kits, new rules. There was much anticipation as to how this year's tournament would differ from the first 5 years. To go over it all from what we've seen thus far, I'm alongside Ashes-winning fast bowler Stephen Finn and Hundred winner with the Southern Brave Jake Lintott. Hello to you both. First of all, uh, Jake, have you enjoyed what we've seen so far in the main?

Yeah, I have. I think it's been really exciting to have outside investment come into the game and see franchises try and do things their way rather than under the ECB. And yeah, I've been impressed with the quality and it's been great to see. I think there's a lot of things that can be— we discuss shortly in a minute, but on the whole it's just so important that this country has a top-level franchise tournament to allow our players to go out and perform on the biggest stage and show what they're about.

Finny, how have you assessed things?

I would say it's, um, that there were some teething problems, weren't there? I think that we can't get away from the fact that there were teething problems in that first week of the competition with the attendances being down, which might be for a number of reasons. But I think people getting used to new franchise names, new colored kits, a complete reshuffle of the playing roster as well, I think is, um, is something. But we've been through that hard reset now, haven't we? And, um, and now it's only hopefully onwards and upwards. for the competition, driving more engagement. And, um, and yeah, I think the one thing that I really enjoy about the competition is the noticeable difference in demographic of people who come and watch this versus any other format. The amount of families and, um, and kids that come and watch and are engaged via that, I think, can only be a good thing for the game.

Jake, how do you think the tournament has changed? I mean, obviously there's visual things like team names and kits and everything else, but Do you feel that it's, it's been a different competition this year?

Not really. I don't think it has. I think what you are seeing now is more passionate owners and more passionate investment from behind the scenes. And that will only drive— it's holding people to account a little bit more for performance rather than in previous years. You kind of felt like teams, if they didn't do well, they'd just come back the next year and try and go again. So I think all the teams will reflect on this year's this year's tournament and what can they— what they've done really well, what they could improve. Um, and yeah, I think that's the big thing. The big difference now is, you know, people are being held to account for performance, and that's— I think that's a good thing.

Yeah, yeah. Look, I think it's going to take a period of time for everyone to get used to having those outside owners and how they're going to work and interact with the competition. I think is in conjunction with all the other franchises they have around the world. I think this has been very much a year of everyone sussing out how it could work, and then I'd imagine people will come more realigned next year with an understanding of the competition to make it even better.

Yeah, I, I think it was inevitably going to be a year that saw a little bit of a shift in terms of dynamics and, and how it all felt, but in some ways it's, it's not felt quite as different as I thought that it might. And yeah, there was a little bit of an adjustment period in terms of the team names and everything else, but it has still felt ostensibly like the same competition because it's got those unique elements such as the doubleheaders on match days.

Yeah, and that's, that's one of the biggest upsides of this Hundred competition is the growth of that women's game and playing matches on the same day and crowds, crowds coming in early and getting value for money and watching 2 games back to back in the summer holidays. So Yeah, it has, it has been, it has been really good. And it, yeah, like you said, it's, it's no different really, um, other than those natural changes, um, that have happened with team names and kits and stuff.

Well, one big change, Finny, is the overseas players, 4 allowed per side, which is, you know, you might think, oh, just one more overseas player, but actually it's made a massive difference.

I think in the men's game it's been made— it's made less of a difference because I think we do have a wider pool of domestic players that can fulfill really specific roles within the 11. So I think it probably has made the men's competition a little bit stronger as a result of that. I think the bit where I think we might need to look at it, or people might need to look at it, is the lack of opportunity for some English qualified players in the women's game, and I think that the having four overseas in the women's game clearly we want the best players playing absolutely. But I think there have been too many instances in this competition this year where we've had domestically English qualified players batting at eight or nine and not bowling, and people who've had good tournaments previously opening the batting then batting seven and eight, or people who've done well bowling in. other years not getting a game or not getting a bowl. So I think that balance of power towards the international players in the women's game is maybe slightly out of kilter for where the women's game is in, in general in this country at the moment.

The counterargument would be, Jake, well, you're still being exposed to the world's best even in training and learning from them and one thing or another.

Or do you say actually you only ever learn No, I think I agree with Finny, particularly about the women's game. He brought that up and I think it's bang on. You are right, generally in the women's game they are all-rounders and they'll do the majority of the work. But I don't agree in the men's game. I feel like the depth of white-ball cricket in this country is so, so deep and so strong. We've seen that in the past when England have fielded B11s and things like that, and it's just disappointing to see It's really good to see, from my point of view, in an 8-team tournament, so many— so much talent on the bench across the board, really. And even players who haven't been picked up, full stop. I think we've got a lot of really good players in this country. And yeah, I just feel the move to 4 is a bit soon. I could understand it if it was a 10-team tournament, then I think 4 is justified because more players are being picked up locally. But yeah, I just feel it's a bit— it's a bit—

Too soon?

disappointing to see so much talent not getting used.

I think my argument for the one less overseas player is that where the women's game is at the moment in our country and how recently professionalism is, like the inception of professionalism has only been a couple of years in terms of the tier 1 and tier 2 domestic contracts that are offered to the women's players. I just look at when we want to go and compete against the other best countries in the world, Australia, India, South Africa, New Zealand, people who have won international tournaments more recently than we have. And you want a wide pool of players to be able to pick 15, your squad of 15. You don't want it to be the same 15 that go from World Cup to World Cup. I think you want people challenging from the outside to grow the pool of players that are able to say, this is definitely an international standard player. I think you only get there by playing and exposing yourself to the pressure that we just referenced of a franchise competition in this country. And I think you only see that rapid development if players are given those opportunities. And I don't think we've seen as much of that this year as we have done in the previous years at The Hundred.

Yeah. You'd agree with that?

Yeah, I do. Particularly the women's side. I just, I think Finney's points are bang on really, that it is about closing that gap. And if players are, overseas players are taking Huge roles in the, in the games. Generally you'll see them bowl 20 balls and bat in the top 5, whereas in the men's game that is very different. So that, that will have an impact on players' roles, and we've seen a lot of players in this tournament, particularly women's game, having roles that are pretty null and void. And Charis Paveley batting at 9 for Spirit, um, we've— that's just off the top of my head, but there's, there's a lot out there that where players are not getting the, the roles that they are good at, and they end up doing nothing essentially.

The thanks for coming.

Yes, yes, I've had a few of those.

No, come on. Yeah, it's going to be an issue, I think, that going forward, particularly in the women's game, is going to continue to be discussed.

Well, it's just an interesting caveat, isn't it? Because you do want the best players playing, and you want the— if 4 overseas players fit into a team where you've got 1 to 11, everyone's playing a functional role, Like it does in the men's game, I think that that's completely understandable. Whereas I think if, if it is stunting the development of growth of that tier of players that are just below the top quality of, of women's players in terms of experience and in terms of like skill development at their age, 18, 19, 20, I think you need to be playing a more prominent role to develop at the rate that we will want them to.

Statistically, I've done a little bit of a deep dive on this, and, and so far in the tournament, the percentage of runs scored by overseas players in the women's competition is, uh, is 56%. Highest previous tournament was 46.3%. Inevitably, one extra overseas player, you'd expect around about a 10% increase, and that's exactly what we've got. But it does mean that there are fewer opportunities, uh, for, for the domestically, uh, an England-qualified players. So let's go through some, some alternative awards, if you like, uh, in this tournament and, uh, the winners and losers. Um, not necessarily on the field, but more broadly than that. What have been the— we'll start positive. What have been the disappointments?

Disappointments? Or do you want me to start positive?

No, I wouldn't. No, I'm being silly. Let's, let's go with the disappointments and then we'll build up towards some of the things that have gone well.

Um, well, like we said, the, the crowds at the start, um, and then obviously the disappointment in that Birmingham Phoenix have really struggled, um, as have my London Women. Just those teams struggling down the bottom where naturally you look at their teams and there's a lot of talent on paper and you want to see those stars performing all the time. And it's, yeah, it's just been, been a shame for them not to click and not to fire because you want to see the world's best performing all the time.

Well, in the men's competition, I think the London Spirit was a really curious case, isn't it? Because you've got the guys who've won back-to-back IPLs. They've basically brought the same infrastructure into that franchise and that success hasn't been replicated. Not that it is a foregone conclusion that it would be. But I think to see the London Spirit men struggle as much as they did in the competition was a surprise, given the quality of especially Andy Flower in that, um, in that setup. But I would caveat that saying that Flower is a problem solver, and he's had one year under his belt at London Spirit and at Lord's to understand conditions, working environments. And I wouldn't be surprised to see the London Spirit do a lot better next year, but it's a shame that this year's been a bit of a write-off for them.

Yep, there have been a few close matches and, uh, and some tight finishes. I'm not sure, you know, yeah, and it's the one thing that you cannot guarantee ever in a tournament is loads of really close matches. Like, I can think of a few, but the real edge-of-your-seat stuff is, uh, it's perhaps been a little bit rarer this year.

Yeah, it has, um, and that's obviously disappointing because everyone wants to see those real tight finishes. But I do remember commentating on a game here, Birmingham Phoenix, where they scored 215 and the other team got 205. It was an absolute run fest, really exciting, and that's what you want to see. I know us bowlers, Finny and, and me, don't like seeing the ball disappear to boundaries, but, um, it was good on occasion. Now with this side of the fence, it's absolutely fine.

Yeah, I don't mind it. I'm retired, people get panned all they want. That's good fun.

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What about players whose stock has risen, do you think?

I—

players whose stock has risen, I think in the women's game, Tilly Courtois Coleman, although her stock was already high. But I think it's a real challenge for a player like her who has Sophie Ecclestone and Lindsay Smith and Charlie Dean ahead of her to try and fit herself into that international lineup. But I think with her performances and the role that she's taken on for Southern Brave. I think she's, um, setting herself up very well to do, to do, to, um, to play a lot for England in the future.

She's put a lot of pressure on those England selectors now with those performances. They'll be questioning, you know, Lindsay Smith's had a really average tournament if you look at the numbers, and they'll be questioning that, whether that's something they need to move to in the future. So yeah, she's done exceptionally well. From the men's side, I just want to pick out Calvin Harrison really. Yeah, from the value for money, they picked him up as a replacement player And he's just been exceptional. And for me, I've said it for a while now, for the last couple of months, his bowling has gone to another level. He's an exceptional batter, um, at lower down to be able to hit boundaries, and he's also one of the best in, in the field. So he's putting pressure on the, the wrist spinners above him. And obviously when Adil Rashid does retire, there is a spot going to be open there for a wrist spinner. And this tournament, he's really put his name in the hat. and really perform for the Trent Rockets.

What about in the men's competition for you?

Well, I mean, Mitch Marsh, it's been amazing. You talk about getting the best international overseas players to come and play in your competition, and Mitch Marsh is just top of the top. And they couldn't have picked a better ground to suit him either at Headingley. How flat the pitches are and the dimensions of it has meant we've seen the absolute best of Mitch Marsh with the bat throughout this competition. I think I saw a quote the other day that he said he's very happy to have not bowled a ball since 2024. And, um, yeah, his batting form I think suggests that we might see that for a while yet. So, uh, I've really enjoyed watching him. I think Usman Tariq has been someone who I've really enjoyed watching firsthand. It's the first time I've actually seen him bowl live, and to see his bag of tricks live, and to— yeah, to see him. And he was the only person who's really stopped Mitch Marsh in this competition.

Yeah.

He completely bamboozled him, didn't he, when he bowled at him. So I've really enjoyed watching him. And from the Trent Rockets, I think if you were a 100— what did you say, a coach or a person doing the draft or the auction? Sam Billings would have to be top of your list. He's gone back to back to back with MyLondon, and now he's topped the charts as captain with the Trent Rockets. So clearly he knows something that a lot of other people don't in this format. And then my long list is going to continue. I've got one more person that I've enjoyed seeing get an opportunity, and that's Anna Donald, who hasn't had his opportunities in franchise stuff before. And he's flitted from Glamorgan to Hampshire to Derbyshire. But he can give the ball a wallop. And his strike rate sits right at the very top of the tree in cricket worldwide. I think he's second behind Suryavanshi for strike rate in domestic T20 or short format competition. So someone who I've been happy to watch as well.

Yeah, I was going to say exactly the same name. I think that absolutely outstanding competition. I think that there have been a number of players in the women's tournament that have really stood out, and yet, yet, Courtney Coleman has been, has been superb. I think Deepti Sharma's reputation continues to grow as one of those gun overseas players that every team will be looking to, uh, to try and make sure that she's part of, uh, part of their plans.

Can we say Marizanne Kapp? I mean, it seems silly, but she's hit the most sixes, isn't she, in the women's competition? I think she's hit 11. throughout the group stage and then is always near the top of the wicket-taking charts. She takes wickets in the power play, which, as we've seen in other teams that struggle to do that, if you're not taking wickets in the power play, you're up against it. So if her reputation could be enhanced, it probably has been again because of how well she's batted.

I think I'm going to throw in Jos Buttler. Not that it needed, not that it needed enhancing, but it has been given just that little boost by becoming the leading T20 run scorer of all time. And the Hundred does count statistically as a T20. So Officially, his stock has risen. I suppose you could you could look at it like that. What about in in terms of the wow moments? What for you has been a moment where you've gone, "Oh goodness me, that that was something special." No, well yeah.

I mean, summarises Leeds's batting. There was one I watched. I actually can't think who it was against now. It was up at Headingley. And they scored over 200. I think it was London Spirit, um, and it was just some crazy hitting. It was like it was a computer game, and you just sat there watching it in the commentary box thinking— well, I had a sore throat the next like 3 days because I was shouting six again every, every time I was commentating. It was, um, yeah, that was quite crazy. And, um, thankful that I was sat in the commentary box not bowling at those guys in that match.

Yeah, it was very similar here when I did that game at Edgebaston here, Trent Rockets actually lost to Birmingham Phoenix, the one game that they've won, and it was just unbelievable. Exactly like Finny said, every ball seemed to disappear, and when there's over 430 runs in a, in a day of 100-ball cricket, you know you're playing on a good wicket.

On the flip side, in the women's competition, the Southern Brave have kind of lost their way through the second half of the comp, but they've won their first 5 matches, but They defended some really low totals. I think 2 out of the first 3 matches they defended 126 to win the game, and that's something they're going to have to rediscover, I think, in, in the eliminator and then the final when we get to it, if they get there, because that has been their real strength. Bell, Courteen, Coleman, all of their bowling unit coming together to defend those low totals. So Even though it feels like a long time ago, I enjoy seeing teams squeeze and get over the line in improbable situations, and they did it a few times at the beginning.

Yeah, I think that's absolutely fair. Wow moments have been so many extraordinary shots, extraordinary catches, and I think that—

Sonny Baker's yorker to Mitchell Marsh.

Yeah, I'm going to— well, I was going to throw in the Manchester Super Giants' fast bowling. battery of England players as well. Sonny Baker, Josh Tongue in there too. And, you know, it's Gus Atkinson. It's, it's a thrilling combination. So for me, I think that's been a bit of a sort of wider wow moment in terms of, in terms of the tournament. But what about looking ahead to next year? What do we want from the Hundred? What needs changing, shifting?

Well, it sounds like we want 3 overseas players in the women's game, particularly. I think Finny would agree with that. That would be a good change.

Yeah, I'm pretty—

I want more teams, but I'm greedy. I'd love to see another franchise come in just because, again, I think it gets more players domestically playing, and that would allow that 4 overseas a bit more easily, and therefore the standard goes through the roof. So yeah, but I think it's an in a good place. I think it will continue to grow once these new franchises get the fan base behind them and obviously the new changes, the new kits, the new owners. So I think once those fan bases get a bit more affiliated with them, the crowds will continue to grow and hopefully continues to build in the right way.

Vinnie, would you go along with that, that this was a bit of a bedding-in year perhaps?

Yeah, I think we anticipated some turbulence. I think because the ownership of the model, I suppose, transfers from the ECB over to the people who have paid the money for the franchises at varying degrees as well, some at 49%, some at 100%, somewhere in between. So yeah, I think that will take or has taken some managing. What I would really love to see is away kits. I hate seeing, and I know it's cricket, so it's obvious who is, who is the home team or who's the batting batting team, who's the, um, who's the bowling team. But I hate that we have so many people wearing the same blooming colors. I, I would love to see teams have an away strip if there's a clash, um, but that's, that's just something that is a bit of a chip on my shoulder.

You'll be upsetting a lot of parents there who have to buy 2 shirts.

What about a reversible shirt? It can't be that hard to do.

Um, I suggest you never watch Test cricket because I've got some alarming news about what they wear in that.

I know, they wear different Different colored helmets and different colored hats.

Oh dear. Uh, yeah, it's, it's one of those where what you want to see is an increase in, I suppose, that sense of real identity from teams. What we did see is a little bit of needle in certain matches and teams getting a bit more of that identity maybe than we've seen in previous years, but just in building on that and a bit of tribal support would be a really good thing to see because I think we did lose a little bit of that with a team like the Southern Brave this year.

Yeah, I think, I think that stuff's always good to see. It means that players care and players want to win. And, um, yeah, I have no problem with seeing that, that side of things, obviously as long as it doesn't cross the line. But yeah, I think that was quite refreshing. Um, so yeah, I think there's not, there's not a lot to change. It's more how can it drive forward and what What do we need to, to do to continue to drive it forward? The fans, we obviously want more people, as many people in the ground as possible, and we want as many good games of cricket as possible. So it's just important that the decisions made align with that, really.

Do you think that essentially the building blocks are in place for this to continue growing as, as the organizers want it to, and arguably the way that it has successfully over 6 years, if you use the metric of of how much money has been pumped into, uh, into the English game, which was largely one of the big goals?

Yes, I think that, um, I've lost my train of thought here because I was going to say something and then I was sidetracked by the, the, uh, the money being pumped into the game. I, look, I, I think that we were 10 years behind getting a franchise competition in this country. I, I think it should have happened so long before. It did. So it's good to see that we've turned the corner and accepted that it is the way that the shortest format is going. I think there are some tweaks and some improvements, but I think that's the case with every league. Look how the IPL tinkers with its playing conditions each year with the impact player. And the BBL does it with power surge and stuff like that. So that there will always be tweaks and improvements, but I think The real positive of 100-ball cricket for me is the doubleheaders. I think that it would not be possible in the T20 format to have such a long day, to expect people to come and engage in both games, which I think is something that really favors the 100-ball format. And I'm interested to see how the relationship between the owners and the ECB and the stakeholders push this forward for next year now.

Have you heard anything from, you know, through the grapevine about how that's all been, Jake, in terms of owners and pressure and players finding that a bit difficult? Or no, no news, good news, I suppose?

No, no news really. I'm just concerned that it might go to— it might go to a T20. That's the only thing. I don't know what you think, Finny, whether the likelihood of that happening, but with Indian ownership coming in, are they going to want something a bit more relevant to them? I don't know. That's the only chance.

Well, the word I heard And, uh, behind the scenes, some of the discussions I've had is that some of the owners who may previously have thought that eventually a T20 competition would be logical have loved the doubleheader. So we'll wait and see. Be interesting. Thank you very much indeed, Jake Lintott. Uh, Stephen Finn, that's it for this episode of the Test Match Special podcast. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode. And away from white ball matters, England's men back in action, a 3-test match series Against Pakistan, TMS will have every ball of every match of it on Five Sports Extra and BBC Sounds. Starts Wednesday, August 19th. We'll be live on air at 10:25, and today at the Test on television for your highlights as well. Thank you so much for listening. We'll speak to you next time.

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