The last two matches in the 2024 Hundred
Three franchises have the chance of walking off with The Hundred trophy this year, but they don’t include permanent winners, Southern Brave.
That’s one welcome effect of the Draft. Their bowling line-up in the last match looked ragged.
Some ingredients for success in a cricket match as chancy as the 100:
Acute tactical thinking and analysis beforehand.
A sound start with the bat, the choice between risk-taking and caution.
The inner-ring of confidence.
Smile!
In the field, pinpoint accuracy by the bowlers; pinpoint fielding placements.
Sensible bowling choices by the captain.
Catches win matches.
Luck.
All very simple – if only.
The Triangle
That’s my word for the format of the final stages, only three teams qualifying. I’ve not been convinced by it, though it’s been in place since the days of the Kia Super League.
I can’t help thinking it was introduced only because of the average length of a match. How many could fit into one day’s play, while ensuring a full house all through? In KSL days the evident answer was two.
I much prefer to see the team that finishes top of the regular season being given the trophy. I’m too simple-minded.
The pattern of this weekend’s Hundred is different only in bringing women’s matches alongside the men’s in two double-headers. So two days are set aside, London’s two leading grounds have their day in the sun (see below). Even more spectators will come to see the women play than under the KSL system.
Predictions
These are less relevant in the 100 than any other abbreviated form of the game. Time is in such short supply that players’ self-discipline is constantly under threat.
The eliminator brings the two London side face to face, south v north, though the Oval is barely half-a-mile south of the Thames. If the players actually came from those districts, there would be some real animosity, but the likely teams will include few come from within 100 miles of the capital. The two captains, Lauren Winfield-Hill and Heather Knight, were born in York and Plymouth respectively.
Welsh Fire have built a positive approach to the game. They are full of smiles. Their captain, Tammy Beaumont, is as shrewd as a fan could hope, but there she is matched by Knight. Will they meet again on Sunday?
I wasn’t convinced by the decision to appoint LWH captain of Oval Invincibles. It’s too big a demand on one person to keep wicket, score big runs and captain a side. In the event she’s scored 118 with the bat. Her keeping has been untidy at times; just one catch and three stumpings.
Stamina will be a factor this year, despite the shortness of the schedule. It has brought such a torrent of matches that players have had little time to recover; they may well show the effects in lapses of concentration. Clear thinking will be vital.
Fixtures
Saturday 17 August: Oval Invincibles v London Spirit, The Oval, 14.15
Sunday 18 August: Welsh Fire v ?, Lord’s, 14.15
Chances of either game being washed out
Zero! +/- 24 degrees.
Saturday will tussle with Sunday to provide the warmer weather.
