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Oval Invincibles win inaugural Hundred match with two balls to spare in front of delighted home crowd

Tim Wigmore
·30-min read
The Hundred, Oval Invincibles vs Manchester Originals: live score and latest updates - GETTY IMAGES
The Hundred, Oval Invincibles vs Manchester Originals: live score and latest updates - GETTY IMAGES

At 6.30pm on a baking midsummer’s evening, two sets of cricketers walked out at the Oval accompanied by fireworks. In that moment, the Hundred went from being a source of ceaseless controversy and bickering to being an actual sporting event. The debates that have divided the game will not stop anytime soon - but, now, there is also the actual cricket to talk about too.

‘New game. New rules’, the big screens declared in the minutes before Manchester Originals and the Oval Invincibles began their tussle. Yet for all the intrigue about the novelty of the new format - sets of five rather than six-ball overs, white cards, and all the rest - most had simply come to south London in pursuit of compelling cricket.

Long before 9.05pm, when Dane van Niekerk slashed the match-clinching boundary to seal the Invincibles’ victory with two balls to spare, and then marked the moment by stretching her arms aloft, the spectators had their wish. The exuberant cheers that accompanied the home side’s victory suggested that, within these walls at least, the Oval Invincibles have begun their journey from being more than merely a gimmicky name.

Certainly, in van Niekerk, their South African captain, the Invincibles have a worthy heroine. After entering amid the detritus of a score of 12 for three, chasing 136, van Niekerk gave a distillation of her class and nerve, combining hard running, power - she slog-swept Alex Hartley over long-on for six - and improvisation in her reverse-sweeping.

Yet when Kate Cross removed Alice Capsey and Grace Gibbs within the first eight balls, and then returned to snare Georgia Adams to leave the hosts 36 for four, the name Invincibles already seemed ill-deserving. The tournament’s opening game threatened to be a dud.

Van Niekerk had the ideal partner to wrestle Oval back into the game: her wife, Marizanne Kapp. Together the South African pair combined for a 73-run stand that made the equation on the screen - showing runs needed and balls left - seem ever-more attainable. In the process they provided a riposte to the notion Hundred games cannot have ebb and flow. T20 matches have long proved that short-format matches can brim with unexpected twists; the South African counter-attack showed that the same can be true of the Hundred.

“The crowd was amazing, team was brilliant,” a proud van Niekerk said after being named hero of the match. “I felt the atmosphere, the fans pushed us over the line, one of the top moments in my career. I panicked a little bit, I felt we were behind the eight-ball, Kappy and I kept each other calm."

The abbreviated format will place even greater scrutiny on fielding, and a poor dropped catch from Mignon du Preez - who misjudged the ball, turning what should have been a routine catch in the deep into six for Kapp - may well have been decisive. Mady Villiers’s 92nd-ball six, down the ground against Sophie Ecclestone, then ensured only six runs were needed from the final set of five.

As van Niekerk and Cross assembled on the DJ stage at 6.05pm, they shared a moment of history. This was the first toss in the Hundred; that it was on the stage, rather than the outfield, is one of the ways that the competition differs from other forms of the game. Van Niekerk chose to bowl.

For all the trials and preparation that players have done, perhaps she was also influenced by Adam Hollioake’s reasoning when he won the toss on the first night of Twenty20, 18 years ago: “We’re going to bowl first, because I haven’t got a clue what’s going to happen.”

Just like James Kirtley bowling the first delivery in T20, Kapp began with a wide - “I was really nervous,” she admitted. But as she located her accuracy while extracting away movement, Kapp was immediately entrusted with 10 consecutive deliveries.

From her seventh she elicited an edge from Emma Lamb, palpable to all bar the umpire, but the DRS was on-hand to ensure Lamb recorded history of her own, albeit of the less coveted variety: the first Hundred duck.

Marizanne Kapp celebrates the wicket of Emma Lamb. - GETTY IMAGES
Marizanne Kapp celebrates the wicket of Emma Lamb. - GETTY IMAGES

Against Oval’s formidable seam attack - Kapp, England left-armer Tash Farrant and Shabnim Ismail, who has a claim to being the fastest bowler in the women’s competition - Manchester responded with consolidation. If neither Lizelle Lee nor Georgie Boyce were at their most fluent, their stand of 55 set-up Manchester’s innings for a late flourish.

In a competition that has been ravaged by a spate of withdrawals of overseas players, Kaur’s sparkling 29, which included three consecutive fours off Mady Villiers, as Kaur used her feet adroitly, attested to her star quality.

From the 95th ball, Kate Cross then heaved the first six in the competition. The upshot was a total of 135 for six that - so far as it is possible to tell at this juncture in the Hundred - felt around par. The Invincibles’ run chase was to reaffirm that impression.

While about two-thirds of spectators received complimentary tickets, a crowd of around 7,500 still comfortably represented a record in the modern English domestic women’s game. The queues at the ice cream stalls did not just reflect the scorching heat, but the demographics of the crowd.

As several thousand spectators lingered happily after the denouement, with the Oval still draped in sunshine, the bitter, internecine feuding that has accompanied this competition fleetingly came to seem a little odd. English cricket may remain a house divided. But a month of this cocktail of coruscating cricket and weather will go a long way to the ECB considering themselves vindicated.

08:38 PM

That's all the live updates...

But read Tim Wigmore's match report for a full recap of a historic evening.

08:32 PM

And here is the winning moment - the home crowd certainly enjoyed it!

08:26 PM

Here are the winning captain's post-match thoughts

08:16 PM

Dane van Niekerk is named hero of the match

The OI captain played a crucial role in both innings and rightly gets the award.

08:06 PM

Balls 96-98 Invincibles 139/5 (Villiers 16 Van Niekerk 56) chasing 136

Villiers steps into the legside and exploits the gap at deep third to slice a square drive for four.

Cross goes for the yorker and they run a leg bye.

One to win. Three to come and DvN only needs one, edging the ball for four.

Invincibles win with two balls to spare.

08:04 PM

Balls 91-95 Invincibles 130/5 (Villiers 11 Van Niekerk 52) chasing 136

Ecclestone comes back and she keeps DvN down to a single off the sweep. Should have been two. Villiers is beaten by a wide but gets back in time to stop the stumping and then she comes down and carts the ball into the stands at long on for six! Fantastic strike.

Villiers plays tip and run to steal a single. They need seven off seven but cover's stop makes the next ball fruitless for the Invincibles. Van Niekerk drags one off the inside edge for a single.

Kate Cross will bowl the last five balls.

OI need six off five.

08:00 PM

Balls 86-90 Invincibles 120/5 (Villiers 4 Van Niekerk 50) chasing 136

Another dropped chance. DvN top-edges a sweep and Boyce spills it at short fine leg. They hare a tight single as the throw is hurled in desperation at the non-striker's. Viliers drills a single through cover and DvN plays a magnificent cover drive for four, timing the underpants off it.

A wide fired down the legside cuts the deficit and Van Niekerk makes the first 50 and takes the strike with a cuff from wide of off stump down to long on.

OI need 16 off 10.

07:56 PM

Balls 81-85 Invincibles 112/5 (Villiers 3 Van Niekerk 44) chasing 136

Ecclestone back into the attack, the run-miser herself ... but Marizanne Kapp goes down town and smashes her over long-on for six. Out next ball, though.

Villiers pulls uppishly for a scrambled two and then reverse sweeps a single straight over the keeper.

OI need 24 off 15.

07:54 PM

Wicket!!

Kapp st Threlkeld b Ecclestone 38 Lovely glovework, stumped down the legside the ball after Kapp had walloped a six to cow corner. FOW 109/5

07:51 PM

Balls 76-80 Invincibles 101/4 (Kapp 32 Van Niekerk 44) chasing 136

No - it's Emma Lamb and Van Niekerk reverse sweeps the first ball for four. The Invincibles' captain backs away to cut but can't pierce the covers. No run. She sweeps a single off the third ball. Partnership is up to 64. Kapp cuffs a cross-bat swipe down to long on and cover cuts off a possible single off DvN's cut stroke.

OI require 35 off 20.

07:47 PM

Balls 71-75 Invincibles 95/4 (Kapp 31 Van Niekerk 39) chasing 136

Cross brings herself back on and Kapp drives one to cover, Van Niekerk steals an extra run off a cut after a misfield at cover point. Cross's bouncer trampolines over DvN's shoulder and is called no ball. Two singles end the 'five'. Will she bowl five more or save them for the death?

07:44 PM

Balls 66-70 Invincibles 88/4 (Kapp 29 Van Niekerk 36) chasing 136

Kaur returns for a second spell. Van Niekerk nurdles a single, Kapp takes two with a flick off her toes and then goes long, slogging across the line and sending a steepling chance to deep midwicket but Du Preez makes a mess of her positioning and tips the ball over her head as she tried to grasp it too late and allows it to fall over the rope for six.

Originals call a time out.

Invincibles need 48 off 30.

07:40 PM

Balls 61-65 Invincibles 78/4 (Kapp 20 Van Niekerk 35) chasing 136

Kaur drops Van Niekerk at mid-off, the ball bursting through her hands as she toppled forward off Jackson. They run a single ... and another when Kapp drops to one knee and smears a drive over cover to the sweeper. Van Niekerk ends the 'five' with a withering pull for four.

Invincibles require 58 off 35.

07:37 PM

Balls 56-60 Invincibles 72/4 (Kapp 19 Van Niekerk 30) chasing 136

Lamb starts with a filthy pie, short and on the pads, Kapp swivels and drops to one knee to hammer it for four behind square. They work three singles, two into the onside, one through cover and Van Niekerk sweeps for a fourth off the 'five'.

Invincibles need 64 off 40.

07:34 PM

Balls 51-55 Invincibles 64/4 (Kapp 13 Van Niekerk 28) chasing 136

Another bowling change - this is Ms Dhoni-esque with 'fives' instead of overs. Kapp leans into a wonderful cover drive for four off Hartley then chips a single over cover. Van Niekerk also takes a single off a lofted drive.

Emma Lamb is coming back on to bowl.

07:31 PM

Balls 46-50 Invincibles 58/4 (Kapp 8 Van Niekerk 27) chasing 136

One would have thought Ecclestone would have earned another five but it's the medium pacer Laura Jackson who metronomicaally locates her yorker range with her first three balls. But as soon as she misses it and serves up a low full toss, Marizanne Kapp flays four with a flick of the bottom wrist through midwicket for four more.

Invincibles need 78 off 50.

07:28 PM

Balls 41-45 Invincibles 52/4 (Kapp 3 Van Niekerk 26) chasing 136

Cross wants to re-establish miserly control and brings back Ecclestone who delivers with four dot balls and a single, firing the ball in and varying her pace.

07:27 PM

Balls 36-40 Invincibles 51/4 (Kapp 2 Van Niekerk 26) chasing 136

Cross turns to a sixth bowler, Harmanpreet Kaur, an offie who bowls in her cap.

Her first ball is a long hop and Van Niekerk collars it, pulling it for four and, after exchanging singles, DvN pulls four more through square leg. Spooked by the spectre of Van Niekerk charging her, she bowled far too short.

07:24 PM

Balls 31-35 Invincibles 41/4 (Kapp 1 Van Niekerk 17) chasing 136

Cross brings herself back on and Van Niekerk uses her feet and hacks a single into the onside. Cross takes her third wicket in seven balls, Enter Kapp to join her South Africa captain and she gets off the mark straightaway with a flick off her pads.

Cross makes her first mistake, short and wide and Van Niekerk butchers a cut for four.

07:20 PM

Wicket!!

Adams c Jackson b Cross 12 Came down the pitch and hoicked across the line, popping the ball towards midwicket at shin height. FOW 36/4

07:19 PM

Balls 26-30 Invincibles 35/3 (Adams 12 Van Niekerk 12) chasing 136

Excellent from Van Nieker, slog sweeping Alex Hartley for six over deep midwicket, the longest boundary on a big ground. DvN works Hartley's dart into the legside and Adams uses her feet to drive a single to long off. Van Niekerk ends the 'five' with a clip off his pads down to fine leg.

07:16 PM

Balls 21-25 Invincibles 26/3 (Adams 11 Van Niekerk 4) chasing 136

Kate Cross is ringing the bowling changes, introducing the off-spinner Emma Lamb. Adams walks down to ease a lofted drive over the bowler and carroming away from long on to spin for four. Cross drops Adams at midwicket, the ball stinging her fingertips as she leapt and they run two. Adams makes the most of her reprieve with a cut stroke, chopped for two and then scuffs a flick for a single. Lamb sprays one down the legside when she sees Van Niekerk advancing and the umpire calls wide.

07:12 PM

Balls 16-20 Invincibles 16/3 (Adams 2 Van Niekerk 4) chasing 136

After three dot balls, Van Niekerk smears a cover drive for four. Invincibles needed that.

Change of end.

07:09 PM

Wicket!!

Wilson c Kaur b Jackson 4 Excellent running catch at mid-off to her right when Wilson plays a checked drive off Laura Jackson's first ball. FOW 12/3

07:09 PM

Balls 11-15 Invincibles 12/2 (Adams 2 Wilson 4) chasing 136

Ecclestone, the world's No1-ranked bowler, comes on and starts with three dot balls. She's so naggingly accurate. Adams then uses her feet but Ecclestone pushes it towards her pads, forcing her to hit to her well defended leg side

07:06 PM

Balls 6-10 Invincibles 11/2 (Adams 1 Wilson 4) chasing 136

Fran Wilson works the hat-trick ball, which was sprayed on to her hip, fine for four between keeper and long leg.

07:03 PM

Wicket!!

Gibbs b Cross 0 Golden duck, sneaking through the gate as she tried to work it through midwicket. Cross is on a hat-trick. FOW 5/2

07:01 PM

Wicket!!

Capsey v Threlkeld b Cross 4 Dodged over to the offside to play the ramp but she didn't get enough on it and spooned it through to the keeper. FOW 5/1

07:01 PM

Balls 1-5 Invincibles 5/0 (Adams 1 Capsey4) chasing 136

Alex Hartley, the left-arm spinner, opens the bowling well with two dot balls and a big appeal for leg-before to Georgia Adams but it looked as if it was missing leg-stump and they don't review it.

Adams gets off the mark with a whisk into the onside. Alex Capsey, the 16-year-old, starts with more derring do, dancing down the track and smearing a drive over mid-off for four.

06:55 PM

The shot of the match so far

06:45 PM

Balls 96-100 Originals 135/6 (Griffith 2 Cross 12)

Farrant returns, round the wicket to the right-handers, cramping them for one off the first two until Ecclestone brings her bat down from 10 o'clock on the dial to 4 o'clock to flog six over deep midwicket. Farrant has her measure though and baits the trap with a wider one. Bryce does the rest.

Enter Griffth for the last ball and she shovels a well-run two through midwicket.

06:44 PM

Wicket!!

Ecclestone st Bryce b Farrant 10 Having just been hit for six, Farrant lures Ecclestone wider, she swings and misses and Sarah Bryce whips off the bails. FOW 133/6

06:41 PM

Balls 91-95 Originals 126/5 (Ecclestone 4 Cross 11)

The first six of the day and the Hundred full stop when Cross, who had just nailed Gregory back over her head for four, waltzes down the track and smacks it over the rope at wide long on. Glorious stroke.

06:38 PM

Balls 86-90 Originals 113/5 (Ecclestone 2 Cross 0)

Kapp will bowl her final five. Ecclestone works a single through midwicket off middle peg, Du Preez tickles one finer for two then Du Preez cuts for a single. Ecclestone works another single into the onside and Kapp ends her spell with her second wicket - taking two for 20 off her 20.

06:36 PM

Wicket!!

Du Preez c Villiers b Kapp 10 Mows across the line aiming for cow corner and Mady Villiers, the sweeper riding the boundary, catches her comfortably 15 yards in from the long pasture seats. FOW 113/5

06:34 PM

Balls 81-85 Originals 108/4 (Du Preez 7 Ecclestone 0)

Invincibles take the time out after dismissing the India captain Kaur.

Du Preez had racked up her first boundary before Kaur was out, smashing a drive back over the bowler's head.

06:32 PM

Wicket!!

Kaur c Gregory b Farrant 29 Tried to ramp/sweep the ball round the corner, Farrar had taken the pace off and she plinked it to short fine leg. FOW 108/4

06:30 PM

Balls 76-80 Originals 103/3 (Du Preez 2, Kaur 29)

Instead it's Dani Gregory, the leg-spinner and she begins with three dot balls to Du Preez. Plenty of flight and cramping her with a couple that fizz on straight. She bunts a single down to long-on and Harmanpreet opens her slick wrists to dab four behind point. Princely? You can't usually write 'late cut' without 'princely' but it doesn't work here. That's the hundred up.

06:25 PM

Balls 71-75 Originals 98/3 (Du Preez 1, Kaur 24)

Some return for Tash Farrant who takes a wicket with her first ball back. Big celebration from Mady Villiers who took some tap in her preceding 'five'.

Mignon du Preez comes in and can't pierce the field until her third ball, clattering it through cover for a single. Kaur opens the face to tip and run to point.

Two runs and a wicker. Surprised she isn't going to bowl five more.

06:21 PM

Wicket!!

Lee c Gibbs b Farrant 42 Cloths a drive to cover. FOW 96/3

06:20 PM

Balls 66-70 Originals 96/2 (Lee 42, Kaur 24)

Kaur has played herself in, or 'Malaned' as its known in white-ball cricket and she comes down the track to clobber a drive for four, plays a lovely lap round the corner with the most delicate of wristy flicks for four more then lofts four more over extra cover.

Kaur flicks the next ball, a slow full toss, just short of midwicket. No run But Villiers goes wider with the last ball and Kaur chassés across and smears a drive through cover for four more. Sixteen off the 'five'.

06:17 PM

Balls 61-65 Originals 80/2 (Lee 42, Kaur 8)

Villiers comes back. Lee sweeps for a single, Kaur advances to push one through mid-on cautiously. Play it again, Sam. The next two balls bring identical strokes, Lee sweeping and Kaur using her feet. Make that three sweeps in succession for Lee for the same returm.

Villiers will carry on.

06:14 PM

Balls 56-60 Originals 75/2 (Lee 39, Kaur 6)

Van Niekerk returns on this very dry pitch, generating turn and playing havoc with the batters' timing with a lack of pace. Lee sweeps a single, losing her balance in the process. Kaur plays a handsome cover drive for one and, when back on strike, plays a great sweep, hammering it in front of the square leg umpire for four.

Change of end.

06:11 PM

Balls 51-55 Originals 68/2 (Lee 37, Kaur 1)

Ismail comes back for a third 'five'. Lee slugs a back-foot punch for two through cover then swats a single just over midwicket for a single.

Kaur cuts a short one for a single then Lee, expecting Ismail's stock-in-trade half-tracker, pulls off her thigh for four more. A proper bouncer that climbs over Lee's shoulder is called wide and Ismail fires in the slower ball on off-stump and Lee doesn't pick it and all she can improvise is a pat back up the pitch.

06:06 PM

Balls 46-50 Originals 59/2 (Lee 30, Kaur 0)

Excellent from Villiers. She has been cowling very tightly but clocked that Boyce was starting to get itchy feet, coming down to tap a single off the first ball of her second set and did for her at the next opportunity by bowling a slow one and messing with Boyce's timing and angles.

06:03 PM

Wicket!!

Boyce c Adams b Villiers 21 Took to the dance floor and toed a drive to cover. FOW 59/2

06:03 PM

Balls 41-45 Originals 57/1 (Lee 29, Boyce 20)

Mady Villiers the big-ripping England off-spinner serves up a side and three dot balls from her first four deliveries, taking the spin off to play with the batters' minds with her arm ball. Lee sweeps hard for and fine for four.

Georgie Boyce of Manchester Originals bats during the The Hundred match between Oval Invincibles and Manchester Originals - Gareth Copley/Getty Images
Georgie Boyce of Manchester Originals bats during the The Hundred match between Oval Invincibles and Manchester Originals - Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Villiers will bowl five more.

06:00 PM

Balls 36-40 Originals 51/1 (Lee 24, Boyce 20)

This is excellent from Van Niekerk in varying her pace and flight, spinning a web until her South Africa compatriot has had enough and waits and waits for the floaty one, so floaty you might call it a donkey drop, and then harpoons an on-drive unstoppably for four.

05:57 PM

Balls 31-35 Originals 44/1 (Lee 18, Boyce 19)

The Invincibles captain brings herself on to bowl her leggies. She tosses the ball up, giving it plenty of flight and though she is cut a couple of times and swept once, only two singles are gleaned from her first five.

She will continue for five more.

05:55 PM

Balls 26-30 Originals 42/1 (Lee 17, Boyce 18)

Ismail uses changes of pace and shorter balls to keep then down to two singles off the first four balls. Boyce is whirring through her pull before the ball actually arrives. But when Ismail pitches up, Boyce smokes a drive through extra cover for four.

Change of ends.

05:52 PM

Balls 21-25 Originals 36/1 (Lee 16, Boyce 13)

Change of ends and Marizanne Kapp continues, Boyce works two with great poise off middle through midwicket for two, then plays a stylish on drive, pure Ponting in terms of her elbow, for four and then pulls witheringly for four more.

Kapp will leave it at 15 balls for now. Ismail will come on.

That's the end of the powerplay. Four players cam now field outside the 30m circle.

05:47 PM

Balls 16-20 Originals 26/1 (Lee 16, Boyce 3)

Shabnim Ismail, the Saffer quick replaces Farrant. She starts with two dot balls at 72mph as Lizelle Lee plays and misses then shoulders arms. She has to get weaving soon - and does, next ball scything four through point. Ismail bounces her next ball and it climbs over her head for six no balls but no free hit as it was on height grounds not for overstepping the line.

Two singles end this set.

05:43 PM

Balls 11-15 Originals 14/1 (Lee 11, Boyce 2)

Tash Farrant shares new ball duties. The left-arm seamer has a quick practice run-up and then serves up a wideish half-volley that Boyce squeezes out to point.

Lizelle Lee, the power hitter at the top of the order, can't get her timing right, playing and missing, fencing late at the ball, then climbs into a short ball and clubs it in front of square through midwicket for four.

Four brings four more, creamed through mid-off for a second one next ball. No swing for Farrant so she tightens her line on to off-stump and earns herself a dot ball.

Change of bowler.

05:38 PM

Balls 6-10: Originals 6/1 (Lee 3, Boyce 1)

Lamb to face and she, too, is tentative against the swing, tapping the first ball of this set into the covers then departs.

Enter Georgia Boyce, the watermelon wrecker.

The movement from Kapp away from the bat is inspiring caution from Boyce as she defends the first two then works a single off her pads to deep backward square.

Change of ends.

05:36 PM

Wicket!!

Lamb c Bryce b Kapp 0 Swings and nicks off trying cut one that shapes away. FOW 4/1

05:35 PM

Invincibles review

Lamb caught Bryce b Kapp 0

05:34 PM

Balls 1-5: Originals 4/0 (Lee 3, Lamb)

Marizanne Kapp, the South Africa outswing bowler, opens the bowling.

And she starts with a wide, sprayed down the legside. Lee has a pull at it, but misses.

Lizelle Lee shoulders arm a the first legit delivery that arcs away. Nice shape. Two dot balls as Lee plays and misses.

Chases a slower one then pulls the bat away but finally gets away with a short-arm pull. Should have been a single but a misfield at deep backward square doubles it.

Lee opens the face to run a single down to third.

Kapp will continue.

05:29 PM

The players have been out once ...

For the moment of unity but are now out again to commence the match, Invincibles starting with a huddle as they await the batters.

05:23 PM

Kate Cross makes a good point

Well, a tongue in cheek one. She says the benefit of the five-ball over is that you can count the balls on the fingers of one hand. Would save a lot of effort scurrying around for six coins or pebbles when you've been press-ganged into umpire.

05:18 PM

Your teams

Oval Invincibles Georgia Adams, Alice Capsey, Fran Wilson, Dane van Niekerk (capt), Marizanne Kapp, Sarah Bryce (wk), Tash Farrant, Mady Villiers, Grace Gibbs, Shabnim Ismail, Dani Gregory.

Manchester Originals Lizelle Lee, Emma Lamb, Georgie Boyce, Harmanpreet Kaur, Mignon du Preez, Sophie Ecclestone, Kate Cross (c), Cordelia Griffith, Ellie Threlkeld (wk), Laura Jackson, Alex Hartley

05:15 PM

The Oiginals have won the toss

And they will bat first.

05:12 PM

Cricket but shorter

After an arresting start, BBC recruits the Tailenders cast to reassure us that this is still 'cricket ... but shorter'. Jimmy Anderson is cast as the quizzical one, hamming up his aversion to change but is convinced by the arguments put forward by Felix White and Greg James.

05:06 PM

The BBC's coverage

Begins with Nayana Iz, rather than Booker T and the MGs. 'My time' she says.

04:56 PM

Simon Heffer will be watching tonight's match

And will also be writing on it for online this evening and in tomorrow's print Telegraph.

The road to Kennington is not the road to Damascus, I think we can confidently predict.

Here are his pre-match thoughts:

A strong MCC could have killed off The Hundred - alas, they are powerless.

04:42 PM

A thought

04:39 PM

'Crossy' speaks

Isabelle Westbury spoke to Kate Cross earlier this week about the new competition and the opportunities it offers the game

I’d say that The Hundred is the most equal competition that I have played a part in so far in my cricket career," says the England bowler, without hesitation. "There are obviously a few things that probably still need working on. But I think the word 'progression' is the right word to use because we're not going to expect this to be 100 per cent equal overnight. We’ve not even been a professional sport for ten years; we don’t expect to be where the guys are in that space of time."

The headline conversations have been around equal prize money but unequal pay; group games on terrestrial television but only one in ten of those a women’s game; equal promotion but unequal time slots. There is a lot, for any advocate of women’s sport, to be both pleased and frustrated about. But what of the players?

"There’s no frustration," asserts Cross. "Frustration is not being able to train at the best grounds or having gym access. What would frustrate me is if I came into this tournament and had been told, 'Actually, we’re training at Guildford [an outground] today.' But no, we’re at The Oval, and we’ve had three nets and it’s been one of the best, most professional training environments that I’ve been in so far. And this is our first day.

04:25 PM

How we got here

Nick Hoult with the definitive account of the Hundred's gestation:

'Grade one ambush' or format of the future? How The Hundred split English cricket

And here's a taster:

This is not like Brexit - that was a 52-48 split,” says Ian Lomax, who runs the campaign and is part of the Lancs Action Group pushing for representation on the Lancashire board. “If you go to county grounds and ask members or those who attend county cricket whether they want The Hundred it would be a 95-5 split.

Many county supporters feel left behind and ignored. A recent survey by the Cricket Supporters Association found 63 per cent feel negatively about The Hundred, with social media suggesting that figure is far higher.

The Hundred is devaluing three competitions,” Lomax adds. “In the Royal London Cup, and don’t forget we are world champions at this format, the quarter-final, semi-final and final are all in the same week. If you like championship cricket then all you want for Christmas is a blanket and thermos flask because it is played in April and May or September and even October now. It is absolutely disgusting.”

04:18 PM

Good evening

Well here we are. A year late and with none of the hostility that the Hundred provoked when its conception was announced having been distilled by its postponement, the England and Wales Cricket Board's first foray into franchise competition, which it sees as the saviour of the game, begins tonight at 6.30pm in a women's match between Oval Invincibles and Manchester Originals at the Oval.

There may be some tuning in with the words often attributed to Sir Thomas Beecham in their minds, about trying anything once (except folk dancing and incest), some will be boycotting and some will embrace it enthusiastically, though probably not here if the consensus of below the line comments over the past couple of years are reflective of the general readership.

For those of you who are genuinely excited - as, anecdotally, I can report many of the U11s canvassed at our cricket club over the last couple of weeks seem to be - here are the essential innovations that are the points of difference with other limited-overs formats:

  • Each side has 100 balls to face and deliver.

  • Ten balls will be bowled from each end, and the umpire will signal after the first set of five to allow the captain to decide whether the bowler shall persevere and bowl a full 10 or change to another bowler. Each bowler will be allowed a maximum of 20 deliveries in the match.

  • If a batter is caught out, the new batter will face the next ball regardless of whether their predecessor had crossed with the non-striker.

  • The powerplay lasts for 25 balls and during that time only two fielders are allowed to be placed outside the 30 yard circle and each bowling side is allowed one two-and-a-half minute time-out during which the coach is allowed on to the field to discuss tactics with their players.

  • Contrary to earlier rumours, lbw has not been abolished nor will wides be punished with free hits.

The men's and women's competitions have equal prize money though the salaries for the women players - £15,000 is the maximum band compared with £100,000 for the men for five weeks' work - are considerably lower and the issue of broken time payments for women part-time players, as exposed by Isabelle Westbury, have yet to be resolved.

In the two teams for the opening match, look out for the Invincibles' rejuvenated England bowler Tash Farrant, the hard-hitting Fran Wilson who made an unbeaten 86 batting at six for England in an ODI two years ago and the captain of South Africa Dane van Niekerk who has 10 WT20i fifties and 63 wickets.

Manchester are captained by England fast bowler Kate Cross and have India's all-rounder and captain Harmanpreet Kaur in the side as well as England's brilliant spinner Sophie Ecclestone.