The Hundred (100-Ball Cricket)
Also known as: the hundred competition, hundred ball cricket, hundred-ball format, the hundred format, the hundred rules, the hundred cricket tournament
The Hundred is a 100-ball-per-innings competition in England and Wales. Bowlers deliver five or ten balls in a row, as the captain chooses, and ends change every 10 balls. Each bowler may bowl up to 20 balls. Each side has a 25-ball powerplay with two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle.
The Hundred is run by the England and Wales Cricket Board. Each team bats for 100 balls, against 120 in a T20 innings. Balls are bowled in sets of five. A bowler can bowl five or ten in a row. The fielding side changes ends after every 10 balls.
The competition rules add a few twists. Each bowler can deliver a maximum of 20 balls in a match. The powerplay is the first 25 balls of each innings. During it only two fielders may stand outside the 30-yard circle. Each bowling side also gets a strategic timeout of up to 90 seconds.
Batting plans look like T20 plans squeezed into fewer balls. Openers attack the 25-ball powerplay. With only 100 balls, a run of dot balls costs more. The ends change every 10 balls. Partners need to know who will face the new bowler. Rules can change between seasons. Check the official rules page for the current year.
Tips by skill level
Watch one match and count the balls in sets of five. It makes the scoreboard much easier to follow.
Plan your innings in 25-ball blocks. Know who will be on strike when the ends change after each set of 10.
Example
In The Hundred, a bowler sends down ten balls in a row from one end. The ends then change. After 25 balls the powerplay ends and more fielders can drop back.
Why it matters
The format changes how bowlers are used and how quickly batters must score. Knowing the rules helps you follow the tactics.
Common mistakes
- Assuming The Hundred uses six-ball overs like T20
- Thinking a bowler always bowls ten balls in a row
- Confusing The Hundred with a batter scoring a hundred runs
- Forgetting that the powerplay is 25 balls, not six overs
Frequently asked questions
How does The Hundred work?
Each team bats for 100 balls. Bowlers deliver five or ten balls in a row. The fielding side changes ends every 10 balls. There is a 25-ball powerplay at the start of each innings.
How many balls can a bowler bowl in The Hundred?
Each bowler can deliver a maximum of 20 balls in a match. They bowl in blocks of five or ten in a row, as the captain decides.
How long is the powerplay in The Hundred?
The powerplay is the first 25 balls of each innings. Only two fielders may be outside the 30-yard circle during it.
Sources
Related terms
- T20 FormatT20 (Twenty20) cricket is the shortest mainstream format of the game — each side bats for a maximum of 20 overs — producing fast-paced, high-scoring matches usually completed in under three hours.
- T20 Batting ApproachT20 batting means scoring quickly from the first ball while keeping enough wickets for the end. Attack the gaps in the six-over powerplay, rotate the strike and pick off bad balls in the middle overs, and save the biggest hitting for the death. Know your best scoring areas and which bowlers you want to target.
- PowerplayA powerplay is a set of overs in limited-overs cricket when the fielding side may have only a few fielders outside the 30-yard circle. In T20 internationals the first six overs allow two fielders outside it. In one-day internationals, overs 1 to 10 allow two, overs 11 to 40 allow four and overs 41 to 50 allow five. Other competitions can set their own versions, so check your playing conditions.
- Death OversThe death overs are the final overs of a limited-overs innings, usually overs 17–20 in T20 or 41–50 in one-day cricket. Batters chase runs and bowlers try to limit them.
- Batting IntentBatting intent means looking to score off every ball you can, instead of waiting for the bowler to make a mistake. It shows in your footwork, your trigger and your readiness to run. Intent is not the same as slogging. A clear leave or a firm defensive shot can still show intent.
Cricket analysis is in development
Motion Lab does not analyze this sport yet. Keep exploring the terms in this section.