The Hundred can look unusual when you watch it for the first time. The scoreboard counts balls down from 100, bowlers can deliver five or 10 balls in a row, and the fielding team changes ends after 10 balls. It is cricket, but it does not use the normal six-ball over as its main way to show an innings.
This guide explains The Hundred in simple terms for new fans in the United States. It is part of our beginner guide to cricket competitions.
Quick answer: The Hundred is a professional 100-ball cricket competition in England and Wales. Each team gets one innings of up to 100 legal balls. The team with the most runs wins. Separate men’s and women’s competitions run alongside each other.
What Is The Hundred in Cricket?
The Hundred is a short-form cricket competition created by the England and Wales Cricket Board. It began in 2021. Eight city-based teams compete in both men’s and women’s tournaments.
A match has two innings. One team bats for up to 100 legal balls. The other team then gets up to 100 balls to chase the target. An innings can finish early if the batting team loses 10 wickets or the chasing team reaches the target.
The competition was designed to be quick and easy to follow. A full match is planned to last about two and a half hours. Men’s and women’s games are often played at the same venue on the same day.
The Hundred Rules at a Glance
| Rule | Simple explanation |
|---|---|
| Innings length | 100 legal balls per team |
| Bowling spell | A bowler delivers five or 10 consecutive balls |
| Change of ends | After every 10 balls |
| Bowler limit | Maximum 20 balls per match |
| Powerplay | First 25 balls, with only two fielders outside the circle |
| Match time | About two and a half hours |
How Does a Match Work?
Before play begins, a coin toss decides which team chooses to bat or bowl first. The team batting first tries to score as many runs as possible from its 100 balls. The fielding team tries to take wickets and limit runs.
The second team then chases the target. If the first team scores 145, the chasing team needs 146 to win. If it reaches 146 before using all 100 balls, it wins. If it finishes on 144 or less, the first team wins.
Runs and wickets work in the usual way. Batters can run between the wickets, hit a four when the ball reaches the boundary after bouncing, or hit a six when it clears the boundary without bouncing.
Why Does The Hundred Use Five-Ball Sets?
Most cricket uses overs of six legal balls. The Hundred groups play into sets of five. A bowler can deliver one five-ball set or continue for a second set, making 10 consecutive balls. The captain decides whether to keep the same bowler.
The fielding team changes ends after 10 balls, not after every five. This is one of the biggest differences for fans who already know T20 cricket. It also explains why broadcasts usually show the number of balls left instead of a traditional over count.
Simple five-ball example
Bowler A delivers balls 100 to 96. The captain can switch to Bowler B for balls 95 to 91, or let Bowler A continue. After ball 91, play moves to the other end. If Bowler A completed all 10, that bowler has 10 of the maximum 20 balls.
How Does the 25-Ball Powerplay Work?
The first 25 balls of each innings form the powerplay. Only two fielders can stand outside the 30-yard circle when the ball is delivered. That leaves more open space near the boundary and can help batters score quickly.
After ball 25, the fielding captain can move more players into the deep. The batting team then has to find gaps, run well, and choose attacking shots more carefully.
How Many Balls Can One Bowler Deliver?
Each bowler can deliver no more than 20 balls in the match. A captain could use five bowlers for 20 balls each. The captain can also divide the work among more bowlers.
A bowler may bowl five or 10 consecutive balls. This creates a tactical choice. A bowler who is taking wickets may stay on for 10. A captain may stop after five if the matchup changes or the batter is scoring freely.
What Happens After a Tie?
If both teams finish with the same score, competition playing conditions decide the result. During the group stage, the official rules award two points to each team for a tie. A no-result caused by weather or another problem also gives two points to each team.
A normal win is worth four points, while a loss earns zero. Teams are ranked in the standings, and the leading sides move into the knockout stage.
How Does The Hundred Tournament Format Work?
The men’s and women’s competitions each have eight teams. The group stage decides the top three. The team finishing first moves directly to the final. Second and third meet in the Eliminator, and the winner joins the group winner in the final.
- Group stage: Teams collect points from their matches.
- Eliminator: Second place plays third place.
- Final: The group winner plays the Eliminator winner.
This format rewards the strongest group-stage team with a direct place in the final.
Which Teams Play in The Hundred?
The official 2026 competition has eight teams in seven cities across England and Wales:
- Birmingham Phoenix
- London Spirit
- Manchester Super Giants
- MI London
- Southern Brave
- SunRisers Leeds
- Trent Rockets
- Welsh Fire
London has two teams because London Spirit play at Lord’s and MI London play at the Kia Oval. Every name represents both a men’s squad and a women’s squad.
What Changed for the 2026 Season?
The 2026 season introduced new ownership and major branding changes. Oval Invincibles became MI London. Manchester Originals became Manchester Super Giants. Northern Superchargers became SunRisers Leeds.
The 100-ball playing format remained. Manchester Super Giants won the 2026 men’s competition, while Trent Rockets won the women’s competition. These results are confirmed on The Hundred’s official past winners page.
The Hundred vs T20 Cricket
The two formats feel similar because both are short, attacking forms of cricket. However, their innings are counted differently.
| Feature | The Hundred | T20 |
|---|---|---|
| Innings limit | 100 balls | 20 overs, normally 120 legal balls |
| Basic bowling set | Five balls | Six-ball over |
| Change ends | Every 10 balls | After each over |
| Powerplay | First 25 balls | Normally first six overs |
| Bowler maximum | 20 balls | Four overs |
For a beginner, the easiest way to follow The Hundred is to watch balls remaining. If the display shows 40 balls left, the batting team has used 60 of its 100 balls.
How Long Does a Match Last?
A full match is designed to last about two and a half hours. That is shorter than a typical T20 game and much shorter than an ODI or Test match.
The short length can suit new fans who want to watch a complete game in one evening. It also gives every ball more weight because each team has only 100 chances to score.
How Can Fans in the USA Watch?
Broadcast rights can change by season. USA viewers should check The Hundred’s official website and their local cricket broadcaster before the tournament begins. Match times are listed in British time, so viewers should convert them to their own U.S. time zone.
A useful first step is to choose one team and watch a full game instead of only highlights. Follow four numbers: runs, wickets, balls left, and the target. The special rules become easier after a few sets of five.
Common Beginner Confusions
Five balls are not a normal six-ball over
The Hundred uses five-ball sets. Two sets are bowled from the same end before the fielding side changes ends.
The Hundred is a competition and a format
The name refers to the ECB competition. It also describes the 100-ball format used in that competition.
Men and women do not play in the same team
Each franchise has separate men’s and women’s squads. Their competitions run beside each other and use the same team names.
A bowler does not have to bowl 10 balls
The captain can change the bowler after five balls or allow the same bowler to continue for five more.
Official Rule Source
The official Hundred competition rules confirm the 100-ball innings, five-or-10-ball spells, 20-ball bowler limit, 25-ball powerplay, and planned match length.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Hundred the same as T20 cricket?
No. The games feel similar, but The Hundred gives each team 100 balls. A standard T20 innings has 20 six-ball overs, or 120 legal balls.
Why are there five balls instead of six?
The competition groups bowling into sets of five to make the 100-ball countdown simple. A bowler may deliver five or 10 balls in a row.
How many overs are in The Hundred?
The official presentation counts 100 balls rather than traditional overs. Mathematically, the innings contains 20 sets of five balls, but the fielding team changes ends after every 10 balls.
Can one bowler bowl 10 balls in a row?
Yes. The captain can let a bowler continue for 10 consecutive balls. That bowler can deliver no more than 20 balls in the match.
Is The Hundred good for new cricket fans?
It can be a good starting point because games are short and the ball countdown is clear. New fans should remember that its five-ball sets and 10-ball end changes are different from most other cricket.
Conclusion
The Hundred is a fast cricket competition built around one simple limit: 100 balls per team. The team with the most runs wins. The unusual parts are the five-or-10-ball bowling spells, the change of ends after 10 balls, and the 25-ball powerplay.
If you are watching from the USA, focus on runs, wickets, balls left, and the target. Once those four numbers make sense, the tactics and excitement become much easier to follow.
Read More: How Cricket Powerplay Rules Work
