Hundred schedule impact worth the price - ECB chair

Richard Thompson, chair of the England and Wales Cricket Board, believes the scheduling challenges posed by The Hundred are a price worth paying. The introduction of The Hundred in 2021 has squeezed the domestic and international calendar in England, with the tournament's final occurring just two days before the first Test against Pakistan this summer.

While the ECB has ceded some control to new owners and the potential addition of future teams remains a possibility, Thompson maintains that the number of days The Hundred is played will not increase. He emphasized that the current positives outweigh the negatives, stating that sacrifices must be made to take debt out of the game and reinvent counties.

The £500 million raised from the sale of stakes in the eight Hundred franchises has been beneficial, with some counties using the funds to clear debts or invest in infrastructure. However, the tournament's scheduling has disrupted the availability of England's players for international matches, causing frustration among players like bowler Josh Tongue.

Thompson expressed concern over the tournament's impact on the domestic calendar, which now includes the County Championship, the T20 Blast, and the One-Day Cup, often played beneath The Hundred. The Board chair also criticized the continued questions surrounding the professionalism of England's men's team, describing the ongoing investigations into bowler Brydon Carse's arrest as enormously disappointing.

Thompson stressed that playing for one's country comes with high standards, respect, responsibility, and pride.