The Hundred’s sixth season, and first since the jolt of many millions of private cash, has passed its halfway point.
Granted a glorious window in a sun-drenched summer, the whole competition will be wrapped up in the month-long break between football seasons when there has been little other top sport to compete with.
It is proving a season of considerable flux, with progress in some vital departments – notably the men’s cricket – but stasis or steps back in others.
It seems as polarising as ever. That there is an audience for it is beyond doubt: games are family affairs and TV figures are slightly up. But the revulsion for it among traditional cricket fans has arguably never been deeper, with the new ownership and branding effectively making the tournament even more different from the rest of the English game, and more similar to other franchise competitions around the world.
Many of the Hundred’s colours have changed this season, but the discourse around it remains staunchly black and white. Here is an attempt to explain it so far:
The cricket
More money has undoubtedly improved things in the men’s competition. While some have to perform better than others – so far, not even Andy Flower can fix London Spirit – all eight franchises are, on paper, fielding very strong sides.
The auction has equalised the squads after a “threepeat” for the Oval Invincibles. With four overseas players in each team, here are England internationals such as Reece Topley and Dan Mousley unable to get a sniff of a game. Indian involvement still seems a way off and Aussie Test stars have a clash, but otherwise the overseas players are high class.