'Realistic' ECB reviewing 'The Hundred' postponement, ICC to take similar call on T20 World Cup

MUMBAI: The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is on the verge of postponing The Hundred, their professional franchise-driven 100-ball tournament for now, and the members of the International Cricket Council (ICC) are pushing for the T20 World Cup, scheduled in Australia this October-November, to be held later in a window that can be mutually decided.
Decisions to these effects are waiting to be taken anytime soon and formal announcements can be expected between now and the next few weeks.
The Hundred is ECB’s dream project, one that was first unveiled in April 2018, playing conditions confirmed in February 2019 and the player draft taking place the same October.
“The ECB heads had internally discussed postponing The Hundred by a month very recently, in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. At that time, it seemed like a realistic approach. What seems more realistic right now is posting The Hundred to 2021. The current situation leaves ECB with no better choice,” well-placed sources told TOI on Monday.
With a global lockdown in force and tournaments getting cancelled globally in advance to avoid any last minute logistic and financial hassle, The Hundred too is about to take the route the English Premier League (EPL) did and the Wimbledon will, as far as mega sports events in the United Kingdom are concerned.
“Ideally, the postponement of the 2020 Olympics should’ve held the ECB in good stead. But that is not the case anymore. Travel bans are likely to stay in place for all of the English summer. A thorough postponement is the only choice,” say sources.
Ticket sales for The Hundred were set to commence in the first week of April and have now been indefinitely delayed.
Sanjay Patel, managing director, The Hundred, commented: "In the midst of an epidemic which is affecting the nation in unprecedented ways, it would be wholly inappropriate for us to promote and sell tickets to The Hundred. We appreciate this may cause some disappointment to fans that were keen to purchase tickets in the April sales window, accessing early bird prices and securing tickets to the most in-demand games.
ECB, however, insists for now that The Hundred schedule is still under review.
The ECB, for now, is not using the word postponement. Instead, they insist "properties scheduled for later in the season are being "reviewed".
"We have begun modelling a range of options to start the season in June, July or August – with an immediate focus on options for cricket in June, including the three-Test series against West Indies, the Vitality Blast and England Women’s schedule against India. Properties scheduled for later in the season, including The Hundred, are also being reviewed.
"Close liaison with the Government will continue, with discussions on the potential of starting the season behind closed doors and giving sports fans the opportunity to enjoy live action", the ECB told TOI in an official statement.
The statement, for now, does not confirm or deny The Hundred's listed schedule.
WORLD T20 SET TO BE DELAYED
Meanwhile, some other leading stakeholders in the game have proposed to the International Cricket Council (ICC) that their T20 World Cup – scheduled for October-November in Australia – should be postponed for now.
“The question being internally discussed was to postpone it but there was no status quo on ‘until when?’ Well, India is scheduled to tour Australia in December. Early next year, Australia have their Big Bash scheduled. March would not be an ideal time (with IPL to begin in April) because the broadcaster won’t agree to back-to-back T20 events. India is anyways hosting the 2021 T20 World Cup. So, the ideal choice has to be 2022,” add those in the know.
A decision on this too is being worked upon. For the record, Australia has shut its own international borders to the world until mid-September.
While The Hundred solely remains the ECB's decision, the T20 World Cup is a tournament that will get decided on votes when the member boards meet again in May, ahead of the annual board meeting in June.
“When a tournament gets cancelled, a Force Majeure comes into effect, which in totality calls for all stakeholders to once again come to the drawing board and renegotiate. Let’s take the example of Nike. The shoe and apparel giant has closed down all over the world. So have some of the other leading brands that are sponsors to some leading teams or partnering with the ICC. Moreover, the broadcaster has a lot at stake. All these aspects have to be considered,” add industry sources.
The same elements, however, do not necessarily apply to the Indian Premier League (IPL). Should Covid-19 relent anytime between now and October-November, the BCCI along with its internal stakeholders who help run the domestic league, will remain in the best possible position to make the tournament happen.
“Either way, one thing remains clear: The IPL takes precedence whenever the markets open. That’s not because the BCCI will force it. That’s because the IPL remains the elephant in the room,” say those in the know.