The Hundred: ‘Wickets’ could be be renamed as ‘outs’ in new tournament

ECB are considering ways to attract new supporters to the sport

Tom Kershaw
Tuesday 13 April 2021 10:20 BST
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Players for the eight teams in The Hundred line up in 2019
Players for the eight teams in The Hundred line up in 2019 (Getty Images for ECB)

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The Hundred could replace the traditional use of “wickets” with “outs” when the new tournament launches this summer.

The England and Wales Cricket Board has been considering ways to attract new supporters to the sport, even if it comes at the expense of some of its traditions. 

The term “out” is already used in cricket when a player is dismissed and does not represent a stark breakaway from typical terminology, even if it is often more closely associated with baseball.

“The Hundred is designed to make cricket accessible to everyone, and research shows that the language of the game can sometimes be a barrier,” said a spokesperson.

“Along with our broadcast partners, we want The Hundred to open cricket up to more people, as well as entertaining existing fans, so we’re discussing the clearest ways of explaining the game, but nothing’s been finalised.”

The women’s tournament will finally begin on 21 July, with the men’s version starting a day later after the inaugural competition was postponed by a year due to the pandemic.

The 100-ball tournament is comprised of eight teams, each featuring a men’s and women’s side, that represent seven cities from the UK.

Rather than the traditional six-ball overs, balls will be delivered in batches of five or 10, with bowlers restricted to 20 balls per innings.

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