England’s answer to the Big Bash begins on Wednesday but doubling down on the county game was the braver option
For three long years running up until the very first ball is bowled at 6.30pm on Wednesday, the organisers of the Hundred have been desperately trying to stamp out fires. The question now is whether the biggest change to English cricket in modern times catches alight.
Over the next 32 days there is a new eight-team, seven-city tournament in town, backed by an unprecedented marketing budget for domestic cricket and two heavyweight broadcasters in Sky and the BBC. It is looking to engage a brand new audience, while at the same time winning over existing supporters who dislike the concept and, more broadly, what it does to the sport they love. In short, a fair old challenge.
Written by Ali Martin
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/jul/20/ecb-sweats-on-hundred-catching-fire-but-did-it-really-have-to-be-this-way under the title “ECB sweats on Hundred catching fire but did it really have to be this way?”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
