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Gifts from The Morning Star
The Hundred is set to be a hit, but at what cost?
Many see cricket’s newest, shortest form as a brash upstart that is surplus to requirements. Its opening games have proved its appeal, but the threat it poses to beloved forms of the game – particularly county cricket – must not be forgotten, writes LAYTH YOUSIF
A general view of play as smoke from the pyrotechnics fills the air during The Hundred match at The Kia Oval, London

HOW’S your week been? I mostly spent it watching cricket, the Hundred to be precise: 100 balls each, or 16.4 overs — although don’t mention that four letter word in this brave new world. 

I was there to see first ever women’s and men’s games, between the Oval Invincibles and the Manchester Originals, on Wednesday and Thursday at the Oval. 

It’s a new format finally launched after a tortuous three years in the making. For someone like myself, and many others, who prefer the longer forms of the game – Test cricket and county cricket – the Hundred is seen as a brash upstart that is simply not needed. Not when you have T20.


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