Once again on The Hundred
The domestic Test cricket year finishing on 31st July its straight into The Hundred from August 1st. It apparently ends on 27th August.
The ECB appear to have determined to change the format in some way possibly to an extended T20 competition. That was always what was intended before management consultants got to work. However that can’t happen for a while due to contractual commitments. We have several more years of a failed format.
Of course its far from entirely failed. The Women’s Hundred has been a great success with high quality cricket. This was not the intention but the ECB should now grasp the nettle and put women’s matches on in the evening (when more watch)and relegate the mostly dire men’s matches to the afternoon.
The men’s games are dire because most players of note have found a way to avoid them. Compared to the franchise leagues around the world there is not enough money in it
I began to wonder if my partner Megan and myself were the only person to watch the US Major League Cricket which ran for three weeks and ended on 30th July. It was shown on TNT Sport and played in Texas and North Carolina. It had some good international players and the games did improve in terms of competitiveness. The main audience TV wise was in the Sub Continent.
In 2024 the plan is to extend it into August which will directly clash with the Hundred.
The ECB have created the problem for themselves but its one UK based cricket fans pay the price for it in terms of decent cricket in August. Of course there is the 50 over contest and no doubt coverage of that will be found on the TMS web. Don’t expect Sky to bother even though its audience for the Hundred is minimal. The football Premiership starts on 11th August..
Its reported by the way that Hundred ticket sales are better than ever. Perhaps attracted by the women’s games or/as well as cut price or give away tickets, of just because it’s a night out where the cricket is not really the main attraction.
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