The Hundred is going to be made “bigger and better” and not ditched, despite considerable teething problems, according to ECB chief executive Richard Gould.
The 100-ball competition was launched in 2021 by the England and Wales Cricket Board in an effort to broaden cricket’s appeal. Controversy has surrounded it ever since its inception, with its critics arguing it negatively impacts the other three formats of the domestic game.
Reports in April suggested The Hundred could be scrapped and turned into a Twenty-20 tournament instead. Gould opposed The Hundred during his previous role as Surrey chief executive, but has changed his tune since taking the top ECB job in October and says the governing body remains fully behind making it a success.
“You see the competition we’re in globally now and every country needs to have a super primetime white-ball domestic competition,” he said on the Final Word Podcast. “We have invested very heavily in The Hundred over a number of years, both emotionally and financially.
“We are not going to take The Hundred out, we are going to make it bigger and better. We’re going to make the whole of cricket bigger and better, that is our aim.
“I think the level of investment that has gone into The Hundred has delivered really good returns in terms of a new audience. The broadcasters really enjoy it, the BBC have put it on free-to-air.”
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The Hundred is only played in England and this season will be played entirely in the month of August. It has undoubtedly boosted the profile of the women’s game and its affordable ticket prices have encouraged families to attend over the past two summers.
But many people believed a new fourth format was not the answer to cricket’s problems and would rather have seen the ECB put the money behind the existing T20 Blast competition. Meanwhile, there have been suggestions that The Hundred is haemorrhaging money and its managing director Sanjay Patel will step down after it concludes on August 27.
The ECB has insisted it has made a profit of £11.8million over the first two seasons, but a separate report from Worcestershire chair and chartered accountant Fanos Hira claimed it actually lost £9m.
“In a crowded market, it is a point of difference,” Gould added. “The format is not something that’s on my agenda, in this regard.
“Sky have been really supportive in driving it forward, it’s given us that point of difference and everyone in the cricketing world has heard of The Hundred, that’s a good thing. As long as people are talking about the game, I’m happy.
“There is always going to be arguments with competition, as to what we do and where we go next but we will be utterly pragmatic and more focused on progressive improvement and we will do it in a collaborative manner where everybody can feel involved.”
