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In the previous edition of the newsletter, I had written
Every non-English fan thinks it will fail. Most of the English fans think it will fail. Primarily, except for the ECB, everyone thinks it will fail. Or may be it should fail. I am all for innovation in cricket but what the fuck is a set.
and you know what, it is true. What the fuck is a set?!
But over the first week of the Hundred, one thing is clear, cricket as a game, even in this weird format is fun. Absolute joy.
ECB just doubled down on innovation. Any bit less and it could have been an also-ran. This is bonkers. Sets of 5 balls. Bowlers bowling 10 deliveries in a row. A tough to track scoreboard. An AR batter to study batting techniques. The hitman style animations when a batter is dismissed. The colours, oh god, the colours! As I said, bonkers.
And of course, there are the familiar ones which keep you hooked. Smriti Mandhana being elegant. Johnny Bairstow being a white ball beast. Colin DeGrandhomme’s mullet. Of course, Rashid Khan being head and shoulder ahead of everyone.
I thought I will do a quick round up of everything of importance in the first week.
Men’s Hundred
Trent Rockets are on top of the table.
Their top order looks solid. Darcy Short, Alex Hales, David Malan, and Joe Root.
Their bowling? Rashid Khan’s name pops up.
The one who has impressed the most? The 30 year old South African, Marchant de Lange, who took a jaw dropping 5 wickets in 20 balls in the first game against Southern Brave and then another 3 against Superchargers in just 14 deliveries. 8 wickets in 34 deliveries! Not a bad start.
I saw this game live and it was incredible to see this near impossible finish courtesy the banished Alex Hales. Look at the crowd, they are absolutely loving it.
This man knows something about last over finishes.
Talking about amazing batting performances, Johnny Bairstow seems to be enjoying his time with Welsh Fire.
and then there was this catch by Adam Milne too
and finally Liam Livingstone went massive
And of course what is a great tournament if it doesn’t help find great new talent.
Women’s Hundred
Ahem ahem
Good Lord Jemimah
Up next, Mandhana. She was on fire. Wha amazing footwork. Dancing down the track and lofting spinners over their head and staying back and carving seamers through the covers. Watch below.
and then there was Harmanpreet
5 balls make a set (I think!) and we already have 5 boundaries in a row.
Oh btw
5 years ago, if someone would have asked me if I have seen a woman’s game where a player was playing in a hijab, the answer would have been a no.
Look at the numbers of attendees
that is all for this edition
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