ECB Quashes Report of 12-a-side Format for 100-Ball Competition

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) reiterated that no decisions whatsoever on the exact format of its planned 100-ball competition will take place until it has analysed the result of several trial matches in September. It has also denied the 12-a-side policy in the newly-thought league.

Meanwhile, Britain’s Daily Telegraph reported the ECB is mulling to allow a substitute to bat or bowl.

Furthermore, The Times claimed that it could be as many as four substitutes making it a 15-side game. However, they noted that only 11 players can bat or bowl.

But the spokesperson of ECB dismissed all the reports saying it as speculations.

“No decisions have been made on the playing conditions for the new competition which will start in the summer of 2020,” he said.

World governing body ICC, meanwhile, trailed the concept of the super-sub in One-day Internationals way back in 2005-06 but then went on to abandon the move.

The ECB’s new tournament was already controversial as they planned to make it a city-based tournament.

Moreover, England’s 18 first-class counties worried about the impact it could have on their existing NatWest Twenty20 Blast. Moreover, there were negative reactions from fans when the ECB unveiled its tentative plans in April.

But a 100-ball and 12-a-side competition could prove popular with terrestrial broadcasters concerned. At this stage, the ECB officials said the new tournament will feature eight city-based teams playing eight group matches, four at home and four away, before the top four go forward to the playoffs.

The first-place team will play the second for a place in the final. Furthermore, the loser of that match will get another chance against the winner of a third versus the fourth match.

That will amount to 36 games over 38 days from mid-July to the end of August 2020. Moreover, there will be both men’s and women’s competition with each side allowed to pick three overseas cricketers.