MCC officials have been reassured that the controversial new ‘Hundred’ format will still “look like a normal game of cricket” despite plans to ditch traditional overs and introduce substitute fielders.
England and Wales Cricket Board chief commercial officer Sanjay Patel has confirmed, in a meeting with the MCC’s world cricket committee, that prospective playing conditions for the franchise tournament set to begin in 2020 include the removal of six-ball overs as a starting-point staple.
Instead, a 14-strong committee containing chairman Mike Gatting, MCC Head of Cricket John Stephenson and former Australia captain Ricky Ponting heard that the focus will be squarely on 100 balls – probably in 20 sequences of five, although further details are a work in progress.
Stephenson said: “Basically, they’re still developing the concept.
“They came to our committee to talk about the new format.
“As custodians of the Laws of the game, what we’re concerned about is if you modify the game of cricket too much it ceases to look like cricket.
“(But) what we heard this morning from Sanjay was quite reassuring… they’re still developing how the final format will be.”
Ponting was among the 14-man MCC committee.
The ECB does not expect to unveil more specifics until November – although trial matches may first take place next month to check which ideas work best.
Stephenson added: “The current thinking is 20 five-ball ‘overs’, but I think today was part of their consultation.
“So they wanted to know what we felt about that.
“We threw a few questions back about whatever modifications there might be.
“I think at the maximum, they’re looking at having a substitute fielder. But I think what that’s about is performance – having the best fielders out there at the right time to field.
“But at the moment, as far as I can make out, they’ll have 11 batsmen, they won’t have ‘overs’ per se but 100 balls, 20 balls per bowler.
“Apart from that, it’ll look like a normal game of cricket.”
Ponting also spoke at Tuesday’s Lord’s press conference about committee suggestions that the International Cricket Council consider a “shot-clock” in-match runs penalty to address the scourge of slow over rates, rather than the current policy of monetary fines for captains.
As for the ‘Hundred’, he added: “The reasons they are looking for something different is that the T20 game probably hasn’t reached a level (of popularity) in England that it has in some other countries.
“A lot of the feedback they heard from people that are not necessarily cricket lovers is that they find the game of cricket boring, and not interesting.
“So they’re trying to find a way to attract the audiences and make the game slightly different.”
Further details remain at the planning stage, though.
“I’m not sure they’ve totally got their head around how they want the game to look… they’re even talking about it not being called overs, just 100 balls,” Ponting added.
“It’s 20 lots of five, the way they’re looking at it.
“There’s all sorts of things they need to get their heads around – it’s still at the very embryonic stage.
“Time is going to come up on them pretty quickly, and I guess the more focus groups and discussions they can have with committees and panels like us, the better off they’re going to be in the long run.”
