India, July 25 -- While IPL is a platform where 'talent meets opportunity', The Hundred's position is less lofty. England's answer to IPL is modest in scale, almost a knocked down budget version.

Customised to English conditions, The Hundred is more business-like and practical. Its tagline announces that 'every ball counts' and matches are shrunk, down from 120 to 100 balls. With matches scheduled on weekdays, the run time of Hundred games is three hours, the length of a movie or a music/theatre event. A 6.30 pm start is convenient from a television/broadcast and spectator viewpoint because people can leave office, drop in to watch cricket, and be home for dinner.

Like other leagues, The Hundred borrows generously from the IPL template ...