5 major rule changes we will see in The Hundred
Revolutionary on its own terms, The Hundred lands on July 21 (Tuesday) with the women's leg as the Oval Invincibles lock horns with the Manchester Originals at Kennington Oval in London.
The Hundred is a brainchild of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). The five-year-old's plan that finally sees broad daylight aims to attract a new wave of spectators.
The Hundred promises many positive developments, including bridging the gap between men's and women's cricket. The danger in all this, of course, is that with a new set of rules comes confusion.
The organisers have brought in a new set of regulations which are all set to revolutionize the way cricket is being perceived so far. On that note, we take a look at the rule changes, The Hundred will unearth:
100 balls per innings
While the basic principles of the game remain intact, the team who scores the most runs wins, there will be no such thing as overs. The biggest difference is that each team will get 100 balls per innings, 20 less than what teams get in T20 cricket.
Instead of counting, the scoreboard will read balls one by one. The captain can allow his or her bowlers to bowl a set of five or 10 balls in a row. The umpire will show a white card indicating the halfway point of two sets of five balls from the same end.
A bowler, on the other hand, can bowl a maximum of 20 deliveries in a match.
25-ball powerplay
Each team will be allowed a 25-ball powerplay. Only two fielders will be allowed outside the 30-yard circle during the powerplay.
After the first 25 balls, the fielding team can request a strategic time-out of two minutes at any time in the remainder of the innings. However, it is not compulsory to opt for the time-out. The batting team cannot request a strategic time-out.
The coaches will be allowed to enter the ground to discuss tactics and strategies with their players.
Punishments for failing to complete the overs on time
A 100-ball innings should be completed within 65 minutes while the change in ends must take no more than 50 seconds. If a team fails to complete the 100 balls within the stipulated, they will be punished by a fielder being moved into the inner circle.
A match of The Hundred will only last for two and a half hours, making it entertaining for the fans.
Super Five to decide winners in case of a tie
The ECB has introduced a brand new rule in case of tied matches in The Hundred. In the case of a tied game in the knockout stage of The Hundred, a ‘super-five' will be played which is similar to the super over to decide the winner.
If the Super-Five fails to reach a result, then another Super-Five will be played. If both teams cannot be separated even after the second Super-Five, the team which finished higher in the Group stage will be announced winners.
In case of a tied game in the group stage, one point will be awarded to each team.
DRS to be used for the first time in English domestic circuit
This will be the first time the Decision Review System (DRS) will be used in each and every game of The Hundred. The third umpire will have full control of the replays to speed up the procedures.
A reorganized model of the original Duckworth-Lewis-Stern system will also be used in rain-curtailed matches.