The sixth edition of The Hundred kicked off on a warm Tuesday evening at the Kia Oval, with two tight contests that reminded everyone why this format still cuts through the noise.
In the women's match Sunrisers Leeds chased down 108 with seven wickets and plenty of balls to spare, reaching 109 for three. Nothing flashy, just efficient cricket that got the job done. The men's game had a bit more sparkle. MI London successfully hunted 144, getting there for the loss of three wickets in just 84 balls.
Sam Curran was the standout. He took four for 25 with the ball then smacked an unbeaten 60 off 39 deliveries. Add in Nicholas Pooran's brisk unbeaten 58 from 22 balls and you had the sort of explosive batting this competition was built to showcase. I watched enough of these innings in my playing days to know how quickly momentum can swing when someone like Pooran gets going.
The rebrandings added a fresh coat of paint. What used to be Oval Invincibles are now MI London, Northern Superchargers have become Sunrisers Leeds, and Manchester Originals are Manchester Super Giants. Eight city-based sides in total: Birmingham Phoenix, London Spirit, Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave, Sunrisers Leeds, Trent Rockets and Welsh Fire. The changes feel like sensible commercial moves rather than reinvention for its own sake.
Format keeps its appeal
The Hundred was always about making top-level cricket accessible without throwing out the game's core. A fixed 100 balls per innings forces everyone to get on with it. Bowlers cannot hide, batters must commit. That balance showed in both openers. Curran’s figures proved you can still bowl economically, while Pooran demonstrated the payoff for clean striking.
Wednesday brings Southern Brave against Welsh Fire at the Utilita Bowl in both women's and men's fixtures. The group stage rolls on across the venues before the knockout phase, eliminator and finals. Everything culminates at Lord's on 16 August.
