The Hundred: Demise or Suprise‪?‬ The Hundred: Demise or Surprise?

We made it. The first season of The Hundred is in the books, so Kit and Matt run through an extensive list of winners and losers to work out what we can take from the last month of cricket. We won’t know for a while whether the tournament’s moderate success is enough to change the game for the better but, at this stage, one thing is for certain: revolution beckons.

TOPICS:

Women’s cricket (3:46)

The Hundred crowds (8:33)

The format, the structure, and the franchises (11:57)

The fading 50-over game (20:30)

The impact on test cricket (26:10)

A KP (not the nuts) argument and Liam Livingstone’s WG Grace vibes (30:29)

Final thoughts (35:17)



MUSIC: Pod.co, 'One Fine Day'

What is it like to be at a Hundred match? Kit spoke to Michael, a bar worker at Lord’s and the Oval, to discover what cricket’s newest competition is offering to spectators. Michael talks about the unusual type of crowd he has seen, the dedicated support for teams and the role of alcohol inside the ground. He also gives a fascinating view of The Hundred from a very casual cricket fan’s perspective, and his opinions will not thrill the traditionalists... (5:26)
Meanwhile, Tom Harrison did not speak to us, but the ECB Chief Executive did discuss The Hundred and its wider impact on English cricket in a recent BBC interview. Kit and Matt unpick his comments on the domestic schedule, the tournament’s relationship with test cricket and the prospect of expansion. (26:02)
MUSIC: Pod.co, 'One Fine Day'

Why is England’s test match batting more vulnerable than Alex Hales’ gooly-wooly-woolies? We can’t yet pin this on The Hundred (though that won’t stop some from trying), but there is little doubt that the domestic schedule does not give Joe Root’s side the best chance of batting long and batting big. The Hundred – another white-ball competition crammed into the calendar – threatens to marginalise first-class cricket even further.
Early-season conditions in the County Championship are a world away from high summer in England, let alone the sweltering conditions elsewhere in the cricketing world. How did we get to this point? How could The Hundred amplify the problem? What can be done to prevent it? Kit and Matt discuss. 
TOPICS: How the domestic calendar hinders England’s test match batting (1:15) 
How The Hundred will amplify England’s fragility (13:05) 
The future for English red-ball batting amid the introduction of The Hundred (17:28) 
Is the issue over-blown? (27:34) 
The impact of The Hundred on women’s test cricket (34:03) 
MUSIC: Pod.co, 'One Fine Day'

After last week's groundbreaking announcement that cricket is good, Kit and Matt turn back to the bigger picture and ask what constitutes a successful first season of The Hundred. Will the strong viewing figures stand the test of time and the inevitable reduction in free tickets? Will the fireworks on the pitch lead to increased participation rates beyond cricket's traditional demographic? Can the tournament help England to global glory?

They also discuss the prospect of super-counties and the new limits on alcohol at Lord's, while Kit makes a stunning confession about a certain South African-born commentator.

TOPICS:

Are people watching? (1:45)

Will the Hundred improve participation rates amongst girls, minority groups and state schools? (12:33)

The impact of The Hundred on England's white-ball teams (25:16)

Will The Hudred make money? (33:55)

Super-counties, ten-ball overs and alcohol bans (36:38)

MUSIC: Pod.co, 'One Fine Day'

Oh yeah! The Hundred is underway and we have plenty of questions. Cricket is still good, but is it good enough to merit decimating the county game? Broadcasters are trying their best to sell the competition, but has does their blind passion rival Soviet-style propaganda? The women's game is gaining exposure, so why are its highlight packages so much shorter? Do double-headers work? Will our brains ever get used to multiples of five?

Join Kit and Matt as they sift through the biggest talking points from week one of The Hundred, as English cricket begins its venture into the great unknown.

TOPICS:

- New format and TV coverage (2:08)

- The make-up of the crowds (9:23)

- Women's success on the pitch, struggles off the pitch (16:42)

- Men's focus: Comparable standard to the Blast, impact on the county game (24:52)

- Timeouts and salty snack sponsors (36:39)



MUSIC: Pod.co, 'One Fine Day'

The Hundred is here. With its wacky rules, fancy franchise names and salty snack sponsors, it's fair to say that the competition is yet to win over all cricket fans...

In the first episode of 'Demise or Surprise?', Kit (Hundred-sceptic) and Matt (Hundred-hater) will be previewing English cricket's new, controversial competition from a big-picture perspective. Can it attract new fans? Is the break from tradition too much? How will it alter the county and women's games? Are Cricket Attax overpriced? 

Above all, does a tournament that has changed so much about the sport, and already angered so many, have any chance of succeeding? Let's find out!

MUSIC: Pod.co, 'One Fine Day'