The Hundred

[wasteyouryouth]

I agree.

I will die on the hill that the Blast could have been just as big and just as good if they'd thrown the same marketing budget at it, but I'll certainly recognise that it is a good thing that tens of thousands of people are going to the cricket every night.

It still makes me chuckle though that the Hundred was meant to be simple and accessible for new fans, yet you regularly have commentators saying things like "that's the second six this five!"

I do think they could've attempted something with the Blast to upscale it with all the money they pumped into this. Maybe a month long division one. However, that would not have elevated the women's game in the same way. That's probably been the biggest success and is an integral part of the appeal IMO.

 

[Aislabie]

However, that would not have elevated the women's game in the same way. That's probably been the biggest success and is an integral part of the appeal IMO.

This I completely agree with. And I've generally found the women's Hundred to be more reliably entertaining then the men's

 

[Umair7]

This I completely agree with. And I've generally found the women's Hundred to be more reliably entertaining then the men's

I might be wrong but to me it always felt like that women's team were/are more equal to each other in terms of strength compared to the men's.

 

[Umair7]

View attachment 297188

I have little time for The Hundred TM, but I have a lot of time for a sold out Oval.

Is it okay if I steal this?

 

[Aislabie]

Is it okay if I steal this?

I already did - it's a screenshot of the broadcast

 

[wasteyouryouth]

This I completely agree with. And I've generally found the women's Hundred to be more reliably entertaining then the men's

Definitely. It's not quite WBBL level but I find the contests far more engaging.

I might be wrong but to me it always felt like that women's team were/are more equal to each other in terms of strength compared to the men's.

For the most part it feels like that. Possibly because the recruitment rules were different in the beginning. Southern Brave always look a little stronger than everyone. Although, I think that's partly because they have good non-international English players while also having Wyatt, Bouchier, Bell and Kemp.

Birmingham Phoenix, by comparison, have Amy Jones and Issy Wong. Players I wouldn't say are known, in recent times, for their consistency and below that a couple of decent spinners in Baker and Levick.

The men's tournament can also be hit by international availability. Ultimately, where the IPL, PSL, SA20 feels like the best of that nation, The Hundred often feels more like the Best of the Blast and I do think there's probably Blast teams that are better than some of The Hundred sides.

If you took this Birmingham Bears team as a starter and put in two or three decent overseas batters I think they could beat the Phoenix, who seem to get progressively worse despite looking like the most exciting side in season 1.

1	Hain
2	Moeen
3
4
5	Bethell
6	Mousley
7	Woakes
8	Garton
9	Briggs
10	Lintott
11	Gleeson

 

[Aislabie]

If you took this Birmingham Bears team as a starter and put in two or three decent overseas batters I think they could beat the Phoenix

Honestly I think the Northants Blast side could beat the Phoenix.

One huge factor for stuff like this is how much or little time the players spend together. For crisp teams, it's eight games a season of a format that isn't played anywhere else and they come from all different counties where their roles often overlap (not to mention the disruption of England and overseas players coming and going); for county teams, they play 14 group games as well as usually about 10 second XI T20s with the core of the Blast side, and a group of players will often stay together for years at a time. The crisp teams may sometimes have better individuals (not the Phoenix) but more counties have better teams.

 

[wasteyouryouth]

Honestly I think the Northants Blast side could beat the Phoenix.

One huge factor for stuff like this is how much or little time the players spend together. For crisp teams, it's eight games a season of a format that isn't played anywhere else and they come from all different counties where their roles often overlap (not to mention the disruption of England and overseas players coming and going); for county teams, they play 14 group games as well as usually about 10 second XI T20s with the core of the Blast side, and a group of players will often stay together for years at a time. The crisp teams may sometimes have better individuals (not the Phoenix) but more counties have better teams.

You're right about the lack of prep. And Phoenix have lost essentially lost three players in the last month (Smeed, Naseem Shah and Jamie Smith) for three different reasons. Other teams probably have too.

The other thing that gets me is there are only five English coaches across all 16 teams. There's six Australians. I don't know if county sides actively prevent coaches from The Hundred jobs or The Hundred teams don't want them. Mark Robinson at Warwickshire, might provide some glue to a team made up of lots Warwickshire players, or take a chance on someone else like Mark Alleyne or Paul Farbrace. Not to say that Flintoff isn't/won't make a good coach but he seems to have got a lot more opportunities because of his reputation. Although he is replacing another Englishman whose team finished last...

 

[wasteyouryouth]

Really good performance from Heather Knight

 

[wasteyouryouth]

The batsman's Holden the bowler's Willey

 

[wasteyouryouth]

Manchester Originals making Birmingham Phoenix look good

 

[Aislabie]

One huge factor for stuff like this is how much or little time the players spend together. For crisp teams, it's eight games a season of a format that isn't played anywhere else and they come from all different counties where their roles often overlap (not to mention the disruption of England and overseas players coming and going); for county teams, they play 14 group games as well as usually about 10 second XI T20s with the core of the Blast side, and a group of players will often stay together for years at a time. The crisp teams may sometimes have better individuals (not the Phoenix) but more counties have better teams.

This is ageing well

 

[Aislabie]

What a day to be a die-hard member of the Trent Rockets Massiv

 

[wasteyouryouth]

Great piece of fielding from Dan Mousely

 

[wasteyouryouth]

Birmingham Phoenix are on fire Is this real life?