Cricket fans, be ready to be bowled over because the return of The Hundred is nearly upon us and the anticipation is already starting to ramp up – as are the ticket sales.
Now entering its fourth year, cricket’s newest and most exhilarating format is set to be bigger than ever and, yes, we know people always say that but we really do mean it.
First set up back in 2021, The Hundred has gained a massive following all over the UK in a very short space of time, not least because of all the action going on off the pitch as well as on it.
With less than 50 days left to go before Manchester Originals and the rest of the teams get underway for a month of fast-paced cricket amongst an already jam-packed summer of sport, we thought we’d give you a rundown of everything you can expect from this year’s competition.
We cannot wait.
How does The Hundred work?
For anyone new to the tournament, The Hundred is a much shorter form version of the game than the likes of test matches and it’s also much easier to understand for casual fans or anyone who’s completely new to the world of cricket – that’s why it’s become so popular. Here’s the gist:
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100 ball cricket
It’s 100 balls per innings; whoever scores the most runs wins.
The fielding side change ends after 10 balls.
Bowlers deliver either five or 10 consecutive balls – the captain decides.
Each bowler can deliver a maximum of 20 balls per match.
Timeouts
Each bowling side gets a strategic timeout of up to 90 seconds.
The coach can walk out to the middle of the ground and discuss tactics with their players mid-match.
Powerplays
A 25-ball powerplay for each team.
Two fielders are allowed outside of the initial 30-yard circle during the powerplay.
How long are the games?
A match of The Hundred will last two and a half hours.
Straightforward enough, right?
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Credit: Supplied (via The Hundred)
Tickets for The Hundred in Manchester
With the Originals home games starting from 25 July, Manc fans will have four opportunities to catch the excitement at the Emirates Old Trafford, though we have every faith they can make it all the way to the Final at Lord’s in London.
The Hundred’s Manchester fixtures for 2024 are as follows:
Thursday, 25 July: Manchester Originals vs Welsh Fire (women’s start 3:00pm, men’s at 6:30pm) – and tickets selling fast, by the way.
Sunday, 11 August: Originals vs Northern Superchargers (women’s 2:30 pm, men’s 6:00pm) — tickets are selling fast for this regional derby too.
This particular tournament also happened to be one of the most affordable ways to watch cricket in the entire sporting calendar, with tickets costing £5 for under-16s and prices starting from just £17 for adults in the early bird window which ends on 27 June, so you best be quick if you want to get the best deal.
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You can find the full list of Hundred fixtures at various other grounds HERE.
Credit: Supplied/The Manc Group
Manchester Originals squad for 2024
The homegrown hopes of a first Hundred trophy are looking stronger than ever this year, with a seriously talented roster for both the men’s and women’s teams.
Captaining the Manchester Originals men’s team once again will be England‘s very own white-ball captain, Jos Buttler, whose 391 runs in 2023 secured him the title of The Hundred’s highest-run scorer.
The women’s team will also see the return of last year’s captain, Sophie Ecclestone, a.k.a. the number one women’s bowler in the world. Also back for another year with the Originals are national men’s duo Jamie Overton and Josh Tongue, as well as Emma Lamb and Mahika Gaur.
Lastly, the Originals have bagged several new world-class international talents too, including Australian wicket-keeper Beth Mooney and all-rounder Sophie Molineux on the women’s team, as well as Sikandar Raza, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Pakistan’s superb leg-spinner, Usama Mir, on the men’s team.
Another reason The Hundred has become such a hit with die-hard cricket fans and newcomers alike is that the organisers make sure that there’s plenty going on in between plays too.
From pulse-raising pyros and light shows before, after and during the games (there’s nothing quite as rousing as seeing flames shoot into the air when someone smashes a six), to the DJ sets and live music performances each day through The Hundred’s partnership with BBC Introducing, it’s non-stop fun.
There is tonnes going on around the concourse too, with free batting and bowling games for spectators, a dedicated kids play area; plenty of merch stands for you to get decked out in your home colours, not to mention more food and drink than you could shake a stick at.
The Hundred’s full artist lineup has also just been revealed very soon and don’t forget to download the official app to get a complete list of all the other activities and goings on.
So, as you can see, The Hundred really is going to be massive this year and besides watching the games themselves, each double-header day is stacked with plenty of other family-friendly things to get stuck into.
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That’s why we love it.
As mentioned, with under-16s tickets costing just a fiver and the early bird for adults only £17, the games in Manchester are already flying but you’ve still got enough time to grab your seats at the Emirates Old TraffordHERE.
We’re glad to inform you that The Hundred isn’t the only big cricket push happening in and around Greater Manchester this summer either.
Coffee Rules: The Greek-born cafe that’s gone on to become a beloved Greater Manchester brand
Danny Jones
It’s rare that you find a place in an already saturated food and drink scene like Greater Manchester’s that genuinely comes across like a local community cornerstone, but that’s exactly what we got when we visited Coffee Rules in Salford.
We went for a brew, one of those viral iced coffee we’ve seen on socials, and maybe a nice bite to eat – but we left with much more and the impression that these lot are onto something big.
Opened in Arta back in their home country (also up in the northwest, by the way), they’ve never struggled to get queues out the door, and it’s no different here. This one is run by two siblings, 23-year-old Thomas and his big brother Marios, 30, who have been smashing it since 2023.
Since launching their growing UK brand in the likes of The Meadows neighbourhood – one of two they have in the city of Salford alone, the other being Swinton – they’ve brought the lines with them. With authentic Greek food and drink like this, it’s not hard to see why.
They’ve now expanded to more than eight sites total, including one still keeping their own local reputation alive over in Athens, and this looks to be just the beginning.
Having not only spread across the ten boroughs but further out into the region with their Liverpool locations as well as a Yorkshire stronghold up in Sheffield, there’s more to come from Coffee Rules, both in terms of premises and their plans to take on the rest of the brunch game and beyond.
Suburban Mancs may have already seen the regular midday and weekend crowds that pack out their Chorlton venue, the Rusholme one is often filled with fresh-faced uni students in need of their caffeine fix, and it’s an increasingly similar story for those based in Bolton.
Or maybe you’re one of the many people based in Manchester city centre, who nip to their quiet, tucked-away corner of Ancoats for a fresh bake or even to have your eye caught by some of their merch with that modern mythological-inspired logo.
Whichever one happens to be closest to you, you’ll have the same satisfying experience, from sipping on speciality coffee and the scran, to the service and all-around atmosphere.
They’re also about to start hosting board game nights over at their Salford site, where they’ll be making the most of their large terrace with plenty of seating, which also has the added bonus of a retracted pergola – perfect for sunny days or simply sheltering from the Manc rain.
One thing we also noticed was just how many locals not only popped in throughout our time there, but the sheer number that had chosen to start their day at this particular spot.
There’s a regular Greek crowd, of course, but there’s also the native Salfordian and those currently residing in and around the up-and-coming area, who were pulling up in the large car park and taking a pew, or even those just looking for quick and top-quality grab-and-go stuff.
In fact, it’s one of the quickest venues we’ve seen fill up that fast in a hot, Med minute.
Speaking of, whether it be one of their superb Spanish lattes, or the equally sweet, sultry and viral ‘Freddo Cappuccino’, or their traditional spanakopita, not to mention their many Mediterranean pastry variations, there’s a big call for pretty much everything on the menu.
We could go on at length in listing what impressed us about just this one Coffee Rules branch, and we’ve made many trips to their Chorlton one in the past already, but it’s probably best that we just urge you to give it a try sometime soon. Trust us, you won’t be disappointed.
This is one of the fastest-growing franchises in the UK, and it’s no wonder they keep pulling in plaudits and invites to bigger and better industry within the industry as time goes on events over the past few years.
Oh, and one more thing, there’s plenty of savoury stuff that you’ll likely fall in love with, but we highly reccommend ordering the red velvet. Wow…
Everything you need to know about the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup before it comes to Manchester
Daisy Jackson
The countdown is really on now to one of the biggest sporting events of the year – the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will land in Manchester in just a few weeks’ time.
The upcoming cricket tournament has already shattered all previous ticket sales records, ahead of what promises to be the biggest Women’s T20 World Cup ever staged.
With just two weeks to go to the opening match between England and Sri Lanka, ticket sales have already surpassed 155,000.
And anticipation is growing for the sporting event of the summer, a 24-day spectacle played across seven iconic venues in England and Wales.
Manchester will play its part in this record-breaking tournament this summer, hosting several major games at Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground.
The action kicks off here in Manchester on Saturday 13 June, with a double header of matches between Scotland and Ireland, and Australia and South Africa.
So if you’re planning to go down for all the action, or just want to know what’s in store, here’s the essential info you need for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
Manchester dates for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup
The Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground will welcome seven teams across five fixtures in June, including Scotland, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, and India.
Saturday 13 June – Scotland vs Ireland 10.30am
Saturday 13 June – Australia vs South Africa 2.30pm
Sunday 21 June – South Africa vs India 2.30pm
Thursday 25 June – India vs Bangladesh 2.30pm
Friday 26 June – Sri Lanka vs Scotland 6.30pm
Tickets for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup
This year’s ticket sales have surpassed the total fan attendance of 136,549 recorded across the entirety of the 2020 edition in Australia, highlighting the extraordinary momentum behind women’s cricket and the growing global demand for the women’s game.
Adult tickets start from just £15 in Manchester, you can grab tickets for games HERE.
What else is on?
Spirit Week has been driving up the excitement even further, with the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup trophy currently on a tour around the UK – including a great day out here in Manchester.
The ICC and UNICEF will also be delivering Cricket 4 Good clinics in local communities, with cricketing stars giving young cricketers tips and skills training.
What the ICC have said
ICC General Manager – Events and Corporate Communications, Gaurav Saxena said: “The 2026 edition becoming the highest-selling ICC Women’s T20 World Cup ever is another milestone for the women’s game.
“It not only highlights the incredible momentum behind women’s cricket but also reflects the strong cultural pull of an ICC pinnacle event, appeal for which is not limited to only the sports fans.
“This edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup is set to be our biggest tournament till date and is expected to smash attendance and viewership records in the UK and around the world. This milestone is a hugely exciting moment for everyone involved and has been almost a year in the making.
“The response from fans is a testament to the bold, creative and well-executed marketing efforts of both the ICC and the ECB in the run-up to the tournament, more of which are to follow over the next four weeks.
“We look forward to welcoming fans from across the globe to England and Wales for what promises to be the biggest and most exciting edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.”
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Tournament Director, Beth Barrett-Wild said: “Surpassing 155,000 ticket sales is an incredible milestone and a powerful signal of the momentum behind the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026. To have exceeded the previous record set in Australia, before a ball has been bowled, shows just how much excitement there is for this tournament and for women’s cricket globally.
“We’ve always believed this tournament has the potential to be the biggest women’s cricket event in history, and the response from fans has been extraordinary. It reflects the growing profile of the women’s game, the strength of the teams and players on show, and the appetite for world-class sporting events across England and Wales as we build towards an unforgettable summer in 2026.”
Danny Jones -
7th June 2024 
