The Hundred 2024 has nearly arrived – here’s what to expect
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.
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:
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?
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.
- Monday, 29 July: Originals vs Trent Rockets (women’s 3:00pm, men’s 6:35pm)
- Tuesday, 6 August: Originals vs Oval Invincibles – (women’s 11:30 am, men’s 3:00 pm)
- 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.
You can find the full list of Hundred fixtures at various other grounds HERE.
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.
Entertainment and activities
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.
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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.
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 Trafford HERE.
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.
For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.
Featured Images — The Hundred/The Manc Group