51-535: London Spirit are a franchise 100-ball cricket side based in North London . The team represents the historic counties of Middlesex , Essex and Northamptonshire in The Hundred , which took place for the first time during the 2021 English and Welsh cricket season. Both the men's and women's sides play their home games at Lord's . The announcement of the new eight-team men's and women's tournament series in 2019
102-533: A County Partnership Agreement with the ECB. County Boards: Recreational cricket at all levels in each county is administered by a county board. There are more than 6,500 recreational cricket clubs and 40 county boards in total, including boards for Wales and the Isle of Wight. Each board has a County Partnership Agreement with the ECB. The intention is for the whole of cricket to think collectively about how to work together for
153-461: A Cricket Board. Rutland shares a board with neighbouring Leicestershire, an echo of the 18th century Leicestershire and Rutland Cricket Club . Hampshire as such has two boards given that the Isle of Wight has its own. Westmorland and Cumberland are replaced by Cumbria, a ceremonial county created in 1974. An additional board exists for the whole country of Wales and is incorporated within the ECB. Most counties have clubs which are members of either
204-605: A change of ends after ten balls. A bowler will be delivering five or 10 consecutive balls. A bowler would deliver a maximum of 20 balls per innings. Power-play conditions were also announced. Trial events using the format have taken place at The Purchasers annual cricket festival at Belmont House in Kent, and club level in England . In November 2018, the Warwickshire Cricket Board and Warwickshire County Cricket Club launched
255-454: A generation to say Cricket is a game for me . Alongside its five-year plan, in October 2019 ECB launched plans to transform women's and girls' cricket. The ECB also leads the sport's efforts with regard to the integrity of cricket, including anti-doping and anti-corruption initiatives, and safeguarding of all who play and administer the game. In the 2017-2018 financial year, the ECB's turnover
306-539: A joint county club. It is now representative of Cumbria as a whole and plays matches in both of the two traditional counties; there has never been a club called Westmorland. Historically, the England team represented the whole of Great Britain in international cricket, with Scottish or Welsh national teams playing sporadically and players from both countries occasionally representing England. Following Ireland's membership in 1993, Scotland became an independent member of
357-538: A new franchise cricket competition, similar to the Indian Premier League . At first it was expected that the competition would use the existing Twenty20 format. Following discussions involving the ECB's marketing team, clubs were instead told in April 2018 that the competition would use an entirely new form of cricket designed to be simpler to follow and shorter to fit television schedules. The more detailed proposal
408-479: A result, the ECB has identified 26 activities that will make up the overarching Inspiring Generations strategy. The key focus is on six areas, in which the ECB has pledged to: One of the most important elements of the Inspiring Generations strategy is the delivery of a plan to make cricket a truly gender-balanced sport and to build on the significant progress in the women's game in the first two decades of
459-477: A similar opinion about this format. Former T20 captain Stuart Broad said he was hugely optimistic about the new format. Michael Vaughan also echoed with Broad and stated that it will be a more appealing concept to broadcasters. Michael Atherton shared that a T20 match was originally to be completed in a 3-hour window and this can be achieved with the proposed format. New Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham
510-504: A single innings , which is restricted to a maximum of 100 balls, and the match lasts approximately two and a half hours, somewhat shorter than the existing Twenty20 format. Before the launch of the professional The Hundred competition in July 2021, the 100-ball format was trialled in several amateur local leagues across England. The new 100-ball format was born out of a proposal by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in 2016 to launch
561-493: Is aimed at a younger audience with the aim of games being completed in less than three hours. Eight new teams were created by the ECB and based in cities across England and Wales. The teams do not align with existing counties, though they share stadiums. The team names are: The competition also sees the return after 15 years of live cricket to free-to-air television, with a contract seeing the BBC screening at least ten matches live from
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#1733085643521612-556: Is due to end with the final on 13 August 2021 at Ynystawe Cricket Club. The Cricket Paper National Girls U18 100 Ball Cup was established by Shrewsbury School . Originally known as the Shrewsbury School Girls U18 T20 in 2019, it is now a 100-ball cricket competition. The first professional competition using the 100-ball format was The Hundred in July 2021. The Hundred involves eight men's and women's teams across England and Wales. The first professional match using
663-572: Is due to play in the inaugural final in early September 2019. The six teams are Shifnal, Claverley, Worfield, Bridgnorth, Chelmarsh and Wombourne. In May 2021 Shropshire Cricket league launched two 100-ball knock out competitions, known as the Aaron's 100 and Aaron's Premier 100, involving 53 teams from across Shropshire and mid-Wales. Cricket Wales launched the Cricket Wales U19’s 100 Ball Cup for under 19 year olds. It started on 25 June 2021 and
714-492: Is odd that we see Ireland and Scotland playing in international tournaments and not Wales." In 2019, Plaid Cymru member Jonathan Edwards called for Wales to separate from the England and Wales Cricket Board by 2020 and to establish itself as an independent national team, Mr. Edwards said; “We have a Welsh rugby team, football team, basketball team, even a national lacrosse team. In cricket, however, we are still incorporated into England. That surely can't be right.” In 2019
765-449: Is responsible for delivering the ECB's strategic plans. Three other committees – Cricket; Audit, Risk and Governance; and Regulatory – work with the senior management team on policy, planning and strategic issues. The ECB Management Board is composed of a Chair, a Senior Independent Non-Executive Director, three Independent Non-Executive Directors, five Cricket Non-Executive Directors, the CEO and
816-470: Is responsible for the financial direction and commercial exploitation of England cricket. It raises revenue from the proceeds of sales for tickets at One Day International and Test matches in England and Wales. The ECB is also responsible for the generation of income from the sale of sponsorship and broadcasting rights , primarily in relation to the English team. Cricket is one of the most popular sports in
867-559: Is run by an executive management team that reports directly to the chief executive officer (CEO). Richard Gould took over as permanent CEO in February 2023, replacing Clare Connor , who had held the office on an interim basis since May 2022. He in turn reports to the Chairman of the ECB Board, a position held by Richard Thompson since September 2022. An executive committee chaired by the CEO
918-732: Is the national governing body of cricket in England and Wales . It was formed on 1 January 1997 as a single governing body to combine the roles formerly fulfilled by the Test and County Cricket Board , the National Cricket Association and the Cricket Council. In April 1998 the Women's Cricket Association was integrated into the organisation. The ECB's head offices are at Lord's Cricket Ground in north-west London . The board oversees all levels of cricket in England and Wales, including
969-541: The County Championship or the National Counties Cricket Championship . Rutland and the Isle of Wight do not have county clubs and are wholly integrated for that purpose with Leicestershire and Hampshire respectively. Huntingdonshire County Cricket Club has a chequered history and now plays informal matches only. Cumberland and Westmorland originally shared Cumberland County Cricket Club as
1020-620: The National Cricket Performance Centre , currently based at Loughborough University in Leicestershire. The long-term strategy to deliver world championships in the men's and women's games had a successful conclusion in the summer of 2019. England won the ICC Cricket World Cup for the first time, emulating the feat of their female counterparts, who had become world champions for the fourth time in 2017. The ECB
1071-646: The 100-ball format club level tournament, which is designed to revitalise Sunday cricket at clubs across the Midlands. Called the Warwickshire Sunday Smash, the 16 team tournament is split into three divisions, with each side playing each team both home and away, throughout June and July. The teams include Solihull Blossomfield Cricket Club, Knowle & Dorridge, Sutton Coldfield, Bedworth, Alcester & Ragley, Stratford upon Avon, Water Orton, Four Oaks Saints, Moseley Ashfield and Aston Manor, who are all members of
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#17330856435211122-580: The 1740s and the first County Championship was played in 1890. From 2020 onwards there are 10 teams in Division One and eight in Division Two. The ECB plays a part in the administration of a county through the County Partnership Agreement, a structure set up in late 2019 designed to improve two-way communication between the ECB and the counties and to ensure the successful implementation of
1173-497: The 21st century. The ECB has promised by 2021 to invest £20million specifically into the transformation of women's and girls’ cricket. This process is built around the following five targets: More than 850 clubs now offer women's and girls’ cricket, a total that was fewer than 100 in 2009. In 2020 the ECB launched a new competition called The Hundred which the board said was designed to appeal to families and younger cricket fans. The new competition, where each side has 100 balls,
1224-486: The Articles of Association were changed to allow a new White-ball Cricket competition to be run from 2020, comprising 8 teams and run during school summer holidays. The T20 event has become The Hundred . In May 2018 ECB launched an action plan for engaging South Asian audiences in England and Wales. In January 2019 ECB launched its Inspiring Generations strategy for cricket across 2020–2024. The strategy aims to Inspire
1275-638: The Chief Financial Officer. There are 41 members of the ECB: One of the main responsibilities of the ECB is the preparation and development of the teams that represent England at the highest level in Test and ODI play. The National Selector, head coach and other coaches are ECB employees. The ECB also employs the English Test match captain and other centrally contracted players, as well as being responsible for
1326-407: The ECB and the concept that Welsh players of international standard will continue to represent England. Domestic competitions: First-class counties compete in the following: Subject to certain exceptions, each historic county in England has either an ECB County Cricket Club or Cricket Board as below. The first-class counties are represented directly at the ECB, whereas the national counties retain
1377-427: The ECB launched a game-wide strategy to grow interest in, and engagement with, cricket over the five years between 2020 and 2024. Its vision is that by the latter date a new generation of fans will have been inspired to say: “Cricket is a game for me. ” Inspiring Generations has been made possible by the signing of a media rights deal worth about £1.1billion, the vast majority of which will be paid by Sky television. As
1428-464: The ICC the next year. With Welsh players pursuing international careers exclusively with an England team, there have been a number of calls for Wales to become an independent member of the ICC, or for the ECB to provide more fixtures for a Welsh national team. However, both Cricket Wales and Glamorgan County Cricket Club have continually supported the ECB, with Glamorgan arguing for the financial benefits of
1479-768: The Midlands Club Cricket Conference. The winners of each league and the best second place progressing to the Semi-Finals Day. The Finals Day took place on 1 September 2019 at Edgbaston . Stratford Upon Avon beat Knowle & Dorridge to win the first 100 ball competition in the U.K. Shropshire County Cricket Club introduced the Swancote Energy Smash, which began in June 2019. It is a six-team tournament that has been divided into two groups, with games being played every Thursday night. The winners of each group
1530-516: The UK. More than 1.1 million adults attend cricket matches each year, while 2.5 million people play the game at all levels in England and Wales. Almost 10 million people – about 20% of the adult population – follow the sport. Since 2009, 4 million schoolchildren have been introduced to cricket by the Chance To Shine programme. In 2017 the ECB signed a new media rights deal valued at £1.1 billion to cover
1581-568: The Welsh Parliament's petitions committee reflected the passionate debate around the issue. Bethan Jenkins , Plaid Cymru 's spokesperson on heritage, culture, sport and broadcasting, and a member of the petitions committee, argued that Wales should have its own international team and withdraw from the ECB. Jenkins noted that Ireland (with a population of 6.4 million) was an ICC member with 6,000 club players whereas Wales (with 3.2 million) had 7,500. Jenkins said: "Cricket Wales and Glamorgan CCC say
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1632-515: The Welsh county within the English structure, and Cricket Wales stating they are "committed to continuing to play a major role within the ECB" The absence of a Welsh cricket team has seen a number of debates within the Welsh Parliament . In 2013 a debate saw both Conservative and Labour members lend their support to the establishment of an independent Welsh team. In 2015, a report produced by
1683-551: The World Cup four times, most recently in 2017. The team is captained, as of July 2020, by Heather Knight . Disability teams : The ECB aims to have 300 clubs offering disabled provision by 2024. The four teams administered by the ECB are Physical Disability, Learning Disability, Visually Impaired and Deaf . First-Class Counties: There are 18 First-Class Counties, 17 in England and one, Glamorgan, in Wales. County cricket developed in
1734-498: The first One-Day International, against Australia in 1971. England won the men's Cricket World Cup for the first time in a thrilling final against New Zealand at Lord's in July 2019. As of May 2023, the team's captain was Jos Buttler . Women's team : England featured in the first Women's Test series, against Australia in 1934–35, where they won 2-0 despite the enduring rancour from the Bodyline series of two winters before. They have won
1785-409: The five years between 2020 and 2024. This deal will be used to fund a broad range of initiatives across the sport at all levels, including a guaranteed and unprecedented £475 million to fund the county network – First-Class Counties, National Counties and County Boards. While the ECB administers all aspects of English cricket, the laws of the game remain under the control of MCC . In April 2017
1836-480: The game is: English journalist George Dobell wrote in 2018 that proposals for the new format outlined by the ECB were nothing more than a further step towards "fast-food cricket", whereas others support the proposals. England's then Test captain , Joe Root , welcomed the ECB's plans for its new-team format in 2020. According to Root, it will attract a completely new audience. ODI and T20 captain, Eoin Morgan , had
1887-458: The idea of a Welsh national cricket team is ‘an emotive subject’, of course having a national team is emotive, you only have to look at the stands during any national game to see that. To suggest this as anything other than natural is a bit of a misleading argument." In 2017, the First Minister of Wales , Carwyn Jones called for the reintroduction of the Welsh one day team stating: "[It]
1938-506: The inspiring Generations strategy between 2020 and 2024. National Counties: Formerly known as the Minor Counties , these are the 21 areas where cricket is played on a county-wide basis but without first-class status. The Minor Counties Championship was first staged in 1895. From 2020 onwards, the counties’ Western and Eastern divisions are split into two five-team groups between which sides are relegated and promoted. Each county also has
1989-590: The main reason behind this thought process is that the ECB couldn't exploit the T20 boom. The England and Wales Professional Cricketers' Association shared that, overall, players were open to this new idea. Meanwhile, Cricket Australia has no plans to tinker with its existing Big Bash League . It also shared a concern that the introduction of shorter formats is further ignoring Test cricket . England and Wales Cricket Board The England and Wales Cricket Board ( ECB )
2040-522: The men's competition, including the final. The launch of The Hundred competition was planned for 2020, but was officially delayed to 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic . In 2018, the ECB launched an initiative designed to increase engagement in cricket in England and Wales among people who trace their ancestry to nations in south Asia – such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka – where cricket has historically been hugely popular. The decision
2091-544: The men's team's first coach, while former Australia Women coach Lisa Keightley was appointed coach of the Women's team. The inaugural Hundred draft took place in October 2019 and saw the Spirit claim Rory Burns as their headline men's draftee, and Heather Knight as the women's headliner. They are joined by England One-Day captain Eoin Morgan and Essex 's Dan Lawrence for the men's team, while Freya Davies joins Knight in
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2142-463: The national teams: England Men ( Test , One Day International and T20I ), England Women , England Lions (Men's second tier), Physical Disability, Learning Disability, Visually Impaired, and Deaf. Although the organisation is the England and Wales Cricket Board, it is referred to as the ECB, not the EWCB, as a result of a decision by those overseeing the transition from the previous bodies. The ECB
2193-544: The new format involved the women's teams of the Oval Invincibles and Manchester Originals who played each other at The Oval in London on 21 July 2021. The Africa Cricket Association plans to hold an annual 100-ball competition to further boost the game within the continent. 100-ball cricket is a form of limited overs cricket , played by two teams each playing a single innings made up of 100 balls . The format of
2244-570: The present and future stability and growth of the game. The ECB also works at grassroots level with organisations such as Chance To Shine that are dedicated to encouraging talented and enthusiastic youngsters to play as much cricket as possible and maximise their potential. Cricket in Wales: Historically, there have been claims that Wales should break away from the ECB and have its own international team, like Ireland and Scotland. However, Cricket Wales and Glamorgan have consistently supported
2295-586: The same ground as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Notes 100-ball cricket First-class cricket One Day International Limited overs (domestic) Twenty20 International Twenty20 (domestic) Other forms 100-ball cricket is a short form of cricket designed to attract new audiences to the game with simplified rules, which was originally created by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for its new city-based competition The Hundred . The 100 ball game has two teams each having
2346-670: The women's side. The Hundred The Hundred Both the London Spirit men's and women's sides play at the home of Cricket, Lord's , in the St. John's Wood area of London. The women's side had been due to play at the home of Essex County Cricket Club , the County Ground in Chelmsford , and the home of Northamptonshire , the County Ground in Northampton but both teams were brought together at
2397-423: Was bemused on this move, asking why the England and Wales Cricket Board is trying something different when the current format is already so successful. Current limited overs specialists Dawid Malan and Mark Wood shared that in spite of the new format, T20s will still remain as the preference. Former MCC chief Keith Bradshaw called the 100-ball tournament an innovation for innovation's sake, reasoning that
2448-418: Was not without controversy, with the likes of Virat Kohli criticising the England and Wales Cricket Board for pursuing a shift away from Test cricket, while others argued the format should have followed the established and successful Twenty20 format. The ECB however decided it needed a more unique format to draw crowds. In August 2019 the side announced that former Australian spinner Shane Warne would be
2499-483: Was presented by the ECB to the chair and chief executives of the first-class counties and the MCC on 19 April 2018, and was unanimously supported by the board of the new competition. At first it was proposed that each innings would involve 15 six-ball overs and a final 10-ball over. In February 2019, the ECB announced tweaks to the proposed rules of 100-ball cricket. The competition will instead contain 10 ten-ball overs, i.e.
2550-440: Was taken to engage with this community in particular because more than 30% of active cricketers in England and Wales at the time identified as being of South Asian extraction. The SAAP was driven by research and community-led in an attempt to break down barriers to playing and watching cricket. The 11 principal action points included installing non-traditional playing facilities in urban areas and delivering cricket at schools with
2601-488: Was £125.5 million. Men's Test team : England played in the first Test match, against Australia in 1877, and has been one of the world's leading exponents of the five-day form of cricket ever since. England has been a full member of the International Cricket Council since 1909. The position of Men's Test captain, as of 28 April 2022, is occupied by Ben Stokes . Men's white ball team : England featured in
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