Test Match Special - Has The Hundred changed?

Episode Date: August 13, 2026

Henry Moeran is alongside Ashes-winning bowler Steven Finn and winner of The Hundred Jake Lintott to discuss how The Hundred may have changed this year, following the influx of investment. They also look at the rule which allows four overseas players per side and how that could affect the development of domestic players.

You're listening to the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. Hello, I'm Henry Moran. Welcome to the Test Match Special podcast from Edgeburston as the group stage of the 100 draws to a close. 32 match days, 64 games in just over three weeks. But how much has it all changed? The influx of investment, new team names, new kits, new rules. There was much anticipation as to how this year's tournament with different. from the first five years.

To go over it all from what we've seen thus far, I'm alongside Ashes winning fast bowler Stephen Finn and a hundred winner with the Southern Brave Jake Lintott. Hello to you both. First of all, Jake, have you enjoyed what we've seen so far in the main? Yeah, I have. I think it's been really exciting to have outside investment come into the game and see franchises try and do things their way

rather than under the ECB. And yeah, I've been impressed with the quality and it's been great to see. I think there's a lot of things that can be we discussed shortly in a minute. But on the whole, it's just so important that this country has a top level franchise tournament to allow our players to go out and perform and on the biggest stage and show what they're about. Finney, have you assessed things? I would say it's that there was some teething problems, weren't there? I think that we can't get away from the fact that there were teething problems in that first week of the competition with the attendances being down, which might be for a number of reasons.

But I think people getting used to new franchise names, new coloured kits. A complete reshuffle of the playing roster as well, I think, is something. But we've been through that hard reset now, haven't we? And now it's only hopefully onwards and upwards for the competition, driving more engagement. and yeah I think the one thing that I really enjoy about the competition is the noticeable difference in Demographic of people who come and watch this Versus any other format the amount of families and And kids that come and watch and are engaged

Via that I think can only be a good thing for the game Jake how do you think the tournament has changed? I mean obviously there's visual things like team names and kits and everything else But do you feel that it's it's been a different competition this year? Not really. I don't think it has. I think what you are seeing now is more passionate owners and more passionate investment from behind the scenes. And that will only drive, it's holding people to account a little bit more for performance rather than in previous years, you kind of felt like teams, if they didn't do well, they'd just come back the next year and try and go again. So I think all the teams will reflect on this year's tournament and what they've done really well, what they could improve. And yeah, I think that's the thing the big difference now is you know people are being held to account for performance and that's i think that's a good thing yeah yeah look i think it's going to take a period of time for everyone to get used to having those outside owners and how they're going to work and interact with the competition i think is in conjunction with all the other franchises they have around the world

i think this has been very much a year of everyone sussing out how it could work and then i'd imagine and people will come more realigned next year with an understanding of the competition to make it even better. Yeah, I think it was inevitably going to be a year that saw a little bit of a shift in terms of dynamics and how it all felt. But in some ways, it's not felt quite as different

as I thought that it might. And yeah, there was a little bit of an adjustment period in terms of the team names and everything else, but it is still felt, ostensibly like the same competition because it's got those unique elements such as the doubleheaders on match days. Yeah, and that's one of the biggest upsides

of this 100 competition is the growth of that women's game and playing matches on the same day and crowds coming in early and getting value for money and watching two games back to back in the summer holidays. So, yeah, it has been really good and it, yeah, like you said,

it's no different really other than those natural changes that have happened with team names and kits and stuff. Well, one big change, Finney, is the overseas players, four allowed per side, which is, you know, you might think, oh, just one more overseas player. But actually, it's made a massive difference. I think in the men's game, it's been made less of a difference because I think we do have a wider pool of domestic players that can fulfil really specific roles within the 11th.

So I think it probably has made the men's competition a little bit stronger as a result of that. I think the bit where I think we might need to look at it or people might need to look at it is the lack of opportunity for some English qualified players in the women's game. And I think that having four overseas in the women's game, clearly we want the best players playing, absolutely. But I think there have been too many instances in this competition this year. year where we've had domestically English qualified players batting at eight or nine and not bowling and people who've had good tournaments previously opening the batting then batting seven and eight or people who've done well bowling in other years not getting a game or not getting a bowl. So I think that balance of power towards the international players in the women's game is maybe

slightly out of kiltre for where the women's game is in general in this country. the moment. The counter argument would be, Jake, well, you're still being exposed to the world's best, even in training and learning from them and one thing and another. Or do you say actually, you only ever learn? No, I think I agree with Finney, particularly about the women's game. He brought that up, and I think it's bang on. You are right generally in the women's game. They are all rounders and they'll do the majority of the work. But I don't agree in the men's game. I feel like the depth of whiteball cricket in this country so deep and so strong. We've seen that in the past when England have fielded B-11s and things like that.

And it's just disappointing to see, from my point of view, in an eight-team tournament, so much talent on the bench across the board, really, and even players who haven't been picked up full stop. I think we've got a lot of really good players in this country. And yeah, I just feel the move to four is a bit soon. I could understand it if it was a 10-team tournament, then I think four is justified because more. players are being picked up locally.

But yeah, I just feel it's a bit, it's a bit disappointing to see so much talent not getting used. I think my argument for the one less overseas player is that where the women's game is at the moment in, in our country and how recently professionalism is like the inception of professionalism has only been a couple of years in terms of the tier one and tier two domestic contracts that are offered to the women's players. that I just look at when we want to go and compete against the other best countries in the world, Australia, India, South Africa, New Zealand people who have won international tournaments more recently than we have.

And you want a wide pool of players to be able to pick 15, your squad of 15, you don't want it to be the same 15 that go from World Cup to World Cup. I think you want people challenging from the outside to grow the pool of players that are able to say this is. definitely an international standard player. I think you only get there by playing and exposing yourself to the pressure that we just referenced of a franchise competition in this country. And I think you only see that rapid development if players are given those opportunities. And I don't think we've seen as much of that this year as we have done in the previous years at the

100. Yeah. You'd agree with that? Yeah, I do. Particularly the women's side. I just, I think Phenny's points are bang on, really. That is about closing that gap. and if overseas players are taking huge roles in the games. Generally, you'll see them bowl 20 balls and batting the top five, whereas in the men's game that is very different. So that will have an impact on players' roles, and we've seen a lot of players in this tournament, particularly women's game,

having roles that are pretty null and void, Karas Pavely batting at 9 for Spirit. That's just off the top of my head, but there's a lot out there where players are not getting the roles that they are good at, And they end up doing nothing, essentially. The thanks for coming. Yes.

Yes. I've had a few of those in my time. No, come on. Yeah, it's going to be an issue, I think, that going forward, particularly in the women's game, is going to be, continued to be discussed. Well, it's just an interesting caveat, isn't it? Because you do want the best players playing, and you want the, if four overseas players fit into a team where you've got one to 11,

everyone is playing a functional role like it does in the men's game, I think that that's completely understandable, whereas I think if it is, if it is stunting the development of growth of that tier of players that are just below the top quality of of women's players in terms of experience and in terms of like skill development at their age 18, 19, 20. I think you need to be playing a more prominent role to develop at the rate that we will want them to. Statistically, I've done a little bit of a deep dive on this. And so far in the tournament, the percentage of runs scored by overseas players in the women's competition. is 56%

highest previous tournament was 46.3. Inevitably, one extra overseas player you'd expect around about a 10% increase and that's exactly what we've got but it does mean that there are fewer opportunities for the domestically and England qualified players.

So let's go through some alternative awards if you like in this tournament and the winners and losers not necessarily on the field but more broadly than that. What have been the... We'll start positive. What have been the disappointments?

Disappointments? Do you want me to start positive? No, I'm being silly. Let's go with the disappointments and then we'll build up towards some of the things that have gone well. Well, like we said, the crowds at the start

and then obviously the disappointment in that Birmingham Phoenix have really struggled as of my London women. Just those teams struggling down the bottom when actually you look at teams and there's a lot of talent on paper and you want to see those stars performing all the time and it's yeah it's just been been a shame for them not to click and not to fire because you want

to see the world's best performing all the time well in the men's competition I think the london spirit was a really curious case isn't it because you've got the guys who've won back-to-back IPLs they've basically brought the same infrastructure into that franchise and that success hasn't been replicated not that it is a foregone conclusion that it would be but I think to see the London Spirit men struggle as much as they did in the competition was a surprise given the quality of, especially Andy Flower in that setup. But I would caveat that saying that Flower is a problem solver and he's had one year under his belt at London Spirit and at Lords to understand conditions, working environments. And I wouldn't be surprised to see the London Spirit do a lot better next year. But it's a shame that this year has been a bit of a write-off for them.

Yeah. There have been a few close matches and some tight finishes. I'm not sure, you know, and it's the one thing that you cannot guarantee ever in a tournament is loads of really close matches. I can think of a few, but the real edge of your seat stuff is perhaps been a little bit rarer this year. Yeah, it has. And that's obviously disappointing because everyone wants to see those real tight finishes. but I do remember commentating on a game here, Birmingham Phoenix, where they scored 215 and the other team got 205.

It was an absolute run fest, really exciting. And that's what you want to see. I know us bowlers, Finney and me don't like seeing the ball disappear to boundaries, but it was good on occasion. Now with this side of the fence, it's absolutely fun. Yeah, I don't mind it now. I'm retired. People can get panned all they want. That's good fun.

The TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. What about players who's stock has risen, do you think? Players whose stock has risen, I think in the women's game, Tilly Cortine Coleman, although her stock was already high, but I think it's a real challenge for a player like her who has Sophie Eccleston and Lindsay Smith and Charlie Dean ahead of her to try and fit herself into that international lineup. But I think with her performances and the role that she's taken on for Southern Brave,

I think she's setting herself up very well to do it to do to do it to. to play a lot for England in the future. She's put a lot of pressure on those England selectors now with those performances. They'll be questioning, you know, Lindsay Smith's had a really average tournament. If you look at the numbers and they'll be questioning that, whether that's something they need to move to in the future. So, yeah, she's done exceptionally well. From the men's side, I just want to pick out Calvin Harrison, really.

Yeah. From the value for money, they picked him up as a replacement player. And he's just been exceptional. And for me, I've said it for a while now for the last couple of times. of months, his bowling has gone to another level. He's an exceptional batter at lower down to be able to hit boundaries and he's also one of the best in the field. So he's putting pressure on the wrist spinners above him. And obviously when Adil Rashid does retire, there is a spot going to be open there for a wrist spinner. And this tournament, he's really put his name in the hat and really

perform for the Trem Rockets. What about the men's competition for you? Well, I mean, Mitch Marsh, it's been amazing. You talk about getting the best international overseas players to come and play in your competition and Mitch Marsh is just top of the top. And they couldn't have picked a better ground to suit him either at Heading Lee. How flat the pitches are and the dimensions of it has meant we've seen the absolute best of Mitch Marsh with the bat throughout this competition. I think I saw a quote the other day that he said. He's very happy to have not bowled a ball since 2024. And yeah, his batting form I think suggests that we might see that for a while yet.

So I've really enjoyed watching him. I think Usman Tarik has been someone who I've really enjoyed watching first hand. It's the first time I've actually seen him bowl live and to see his bag of tricks live and to, yeah, to see him. And he was the only person who's really stopped Mitch March on this competition. It completely bamboozled him, didn't he, when he bowled at him. So I've really enjoyed watching him. And from the Trempt Rockets, I think if you were 100, what is he said, a coach or a person doing the, doing the draft or the auction, Sam Billings would have to be top of your list. He's gone back to back to back with

my London and now he's topped the charts as captain with the with the Trent Rockets. So clearly he knows something that a lot of other people don't in this format. And then my long list is going to continue. I've got one more person that I've enjoyed seeing get an opportunity and that's Anna and Donald who hasn't had his opportunities in franchise stuff before and he's flitted from Glamorgan to Hampshire to Derbyshire but he can give the ball a wallop and his strike rate sits right at the very top of the tree in cricket worldwide. I think he's second behind Suriavanshi for strike rate in domestic T20 or short format competition. So someone who I've been happy to watch as well. Yeah I was going to say exactly the same name.

I think that absolutely outstanding competition. I think that there have been a number of players in the women's tournament that have really stood out and yet courtine coleman has been has been superb i think deep discharma's reputation continues to grow as one of those gun overseas players that every team will be looking to uh to try and make sure that she's part of part of their plans can we say marizan cap i mean it always yeah but she's at the most six isn't she in the women's competition i think she's hit 11 throughout the group stage and then is always near the top of the wicket taking charts he takes wickets in the power play which as we've seen in other teams that struggle to do that if you're not taking wickets in the power play you're up against it so if her reputation could be enhanced it probably has been again

because of how well she's batted i think i'm going to throw in joss butler not that it needed not that it needed enhancing but it has been given just that little boost by becoming uh the leading t20 run scorer of all time and the hundred does count statistically as a t20 so officially his stock has risen, I suppose. You could look at it like that. What about in terms of the wow moments? What for you has been a moment where you've gone, oh, goodness me, that was something special. No, yeah, I mean summarizes Leeds is batting. There was one, I watched, I actually can't think who it was against now. It was up at Headingley and they scored over 200. I think it was London Spirit. some crazy hitting. It was like it was a computer game and you just sat there watching it in the

commentary box thinking, well, I had a sore throat the next like three days because I was shouting six every time I was commentating. It was yeah, that was quite crazy and thankful that I was sat in the commentary box not bowling at those guys in that match. Yeah, it was very similar here when I did that game at edgebuston here. Trent Rockets actually lost to Birmingham Phoenix the one game that they've won and it was just unbelievable. Exactly like Finney said, every ball seemed to disappear. And when there's over 430 runs in a day of 100 ball cricket, you know you're playing on a good wicket.

On the flip side in the women's competition, the Southern Brave have kind of lost their way through the second half of the comp. But they won their first five matches, but they defended some really low totals. I think two out of the first three matches, they defended 126 to win the game. and that's something that they're going to have to rediscover, I think, in the Eliminator and then the final when we get to it,

if they get there, because that has been their real strength, Bell, Cortine Coleman, all of their bowling unit coming together to fend those low totals. So even though it feels like a long time ago, I enjoy seeing teams squeeze and get over the line in improbable situations and they did it a few times at the beginning. Yeah, I think that's absolutely fair. wow moments have been so many extraordinary shots extraordinary catches and i i think that the sunny baker's

yorker to mitchell marsh yeah i'm going to throw in the manchester super giants fast bowling battery of england players as well sunny baker josh tongue in there too and it's gus actinson it's it's a thrilling combination so for me i think that's been a bit of a sort of wider wow moment uh in terms of of the tournament but what about looking ahead to next year what do we want from the hundred what needs changing shifting it sounds like we want three overseas players in the women's game particularly I think Finney would agree with that that would be a good change yeah I'm pretty I'm I want more teams but I'm greedy I'd love to see another franchise come in just because again I think it

gets more players domestically playing and that would allow that for overseas a bit more easily and therefore the standard goes through the roof. So yeah, but I think it's in a good place. I think it will continue to grow once these new franchises get the fan base behind them and obviously the new changes, the new kits, the new owners. So I think once those fan bases get a bit more affiliated with them, the crowds will continue to grow and hopefully continues to build in the right way. Fiddy, would you go along with that, that this was a bit of a bedding in year perhaps? Yeah, I think we anticipated some turbulence, I think, as the ownership of the model, I suppose, transfers from the ECB over to the people who have paid

the money for the franchises at varying degrees as well, some at 49%, some at 100%, somewhere in between. So, yeah, I think that will, or has taken some managing. What I would really love to see is awake it. I hate seeing, and I know it's cricket, so it's obviously. who is the home team or who's the batting team who's the who's the bowling team but I hate that we have so many people wearing the same blooming colors like I would love to see teams have an away strip if there's a clash but that's that's just something that is a bit of a chip on my shoulder you'll be upsetting a lot of parents there you have to buy two shirts what about a reversible shirt it can't be that hard to do I suggest you never watch test cricket because I got some alarming

news about what they wear in that. I know. They wear different coloured helmets and different coloured hats. Oh dear. Yeah, it's one of those where what you want to see is an increase in, I suppose, that sense of real identity from teams. What we did see is a little bit of needle in certain matches and teams getting a bit more of that identity, maybe than we've seen in previous years, but just in building on that and a bit of tribal support would be a really good thing to see because I think we did lose a little bit of that with a team like the Southern Brave this year. Yeah, I think that stuff's always good to see

it means that players care and players want to win and yeah, I have no problem with seeing that side of things obviously as long as it doesn't cross the line but yeah, I think that was quite refreshing. So yeah, I think there's not a lot to change. It's more how can it drive forward and what do we need to? to do to continue to drive it forward.

The fans, we obviously want more, as many people in the ground as possible, and we want as many good games of cricket as possible. So it's just important that the decisions made align with that, really. Do you think that essentially the building blocks are in place for this to continue growing as the organisers want it to? And arguably, the way that it has successfully, over six years, if you used the metric of how much money has been pumped into, into the English game, which was largely one of the big goals?

Yes, I think that I've lost my train of thought here because I was going to say something and I was sidetracked by the money being pumped into the game. Look, I think that we were 10 years behind getting a franchise competition in this country. I think it should have happened so long before it did. So it's good to see that we've turned the corner and, accepted that it is the way that the shortest format is going. I think there are some tweaks and some improvements but I think that's the case with every league. Look how the IPL tinkers with its playing conditions each year with the impact player and the BBL does as well. BBL does it with

power surge and stuff like that. So there will always be tweaks and improvements but I think the real positive of 100 ball cricket for me is the double headers. I think that it would not be possible in the T20 format to have such a long day to expect people to come and engage in both games, which I think is something that really favours the 100 ball format. And I'm interested to see how the relationship between the owners and the ECB and the stakeholders push this forward for next year now. Have you heard anything from, you know, through the grapevine about how that's all been, Jake, in terms of owners and pressure and players finding that a bit difficult or no no news good news I suppose no news really I'm just concerned that it might go to it might

go to a T20 that's the only thing I don't know what you think finney whether the likelihood of that happening but with Indian ownership coming in are they going to want something a bit more relevant to them I don't know that's the only challenge well the word I heard and behind the scenes some of the discussions I've had is that some of the owners who may previously have thought that eventually a T20 competition be logical have loved the double header so we'll wait and see be interesting. Thank you very much. Indeed, Jake Lintock.

Stephen Finn, that's it for this episode of the Test Match Special Podcasts. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode. And away from White Ball Matters, England's men back in action, a three test match series against Pakistan. TMS will have every ball of every match of it on five sports extra. And BBC Sounds starts Wednesday, August 19th. We'll be live on air at 1025. And today at the test on television,

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