Mitchell calls for defined Hundred blueprint within next few months

While the format, its rules and regulations, are being ironed out from a playing perspective, there are many other structural decisions - such as the money on offer to players and how the tournament will fit into the county season

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Daryl Mitchell

PCA chairman Daryl Mitchell has highlighted how much needs to be done in a short space of time to ensure The Hundred is in working order when it comes into being in 2020.

Mitchell, who hotfooted from T20 Blast Finals Day at Edgbaston on Saturday to play in 100-ball trial matches at Trent Bridge on Sunday and Monday, expressed some concern at the weight of work that needs to be undertaken in around 18 months.

While the format, its rules and regulations, are being ironed out from a playing perspective, there are many other structural decisions - such as the money on offer to players, how the tournament will fit into the county season and what impact it will have on the existing counties - which have to be made.

In a statement, Mitchell addressed these issues, saying: "The ECB have been in regular dialogue with the players since the announcement of ‘The Hundred’ through small groups and PCA staff so consultation has been good so far.

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Mitchell is the PCA chairman

"However, we are now potentially just over a year away from the first draft so we are on a short timescale. It is important to get things in place and over the next few months there will have to be a blueprint of exactly how this competition is going to work.

"It must also be noted that although the format of the game played in the middle is important, there is so much going on behind the scenes in terms of contracts, squad sizes, payment, and how this competition is going to look from top to bottom.

"The PCA is heavily involved with numerous working groups to try and form the best competition we can for players to entertain the public."

As for his experience of 100-ball cricket at Trent Bridge, Mitchell said the format "is definitely still cricket, which is something I, along with lots of other members were sceptical about.

"Generally, the players involved did enjoy the format and there was some good cricket played with a productive feedback session on Sunday."

With just 38 PCA members having been involved in the pilots, however, there is still plenty of opinion-canvassing required and Mitcell confirmed that, once the England Women's 100-ball trial is completed on September 27, the union "will survey all current players as we welcome all of their input to present our findings to the ECB".

The Hundred on trial: James Coyne went to Trent Bridge to see what all the fuss is about

Comments

Posted by Graham on 19/09/2018 at 11:58

T20 is a great tournament & doesnt need the ECB meddling & trying to create their own version.As they say"if it aint broke,it doosnt need fixing). We certainly dont need franchises,which would be detrimental to the future of Test cricket. County cricket would suffer a monumentous death,with a few exceptions like Somerset who were one of only 3 counties to sell out every T20 game. I for one would rather watch my beloved somerset,than travel to bristol to see a team made up of gloucs,glam & somerset players.well quite simply i wont. We have a full fixture list as is & dont need another tournament squeezed in. We will never rival the ipl,big bash so dont even try,their income far outways anything we could offer & hence all the top players would be unavailable. I for one hope it never gets off the ground

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