- Title: The Hundred - new cricket competition launches targeting gender equality
- Date: 21st July 2021
- Summary: CHELMSFORD, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JULY 17, 2021) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) BETH BARRETT-WILD, HEAD OF THE HUNDRED WOMEN'S COMPETITION AND FEMALE ENGAGEMENT AT THE ENGLAND AND WALES CRICKET BOARD, SAYING: "The core purpose of The Hundred is all about throwing cricket's doors open to more people, especially families and young people. And I think a really key component of that is how we've approached all of our decision-making through a gender-balanced lens. So that's everything from gender-neutral language, so moving away from saying 'batsmen' to 'batters'; to equal prize money, so the men and the women they'll both be competing for the same prize money pot at the end; a shared marketing platform so really co-presenting our male and female players on that shared platform and really profiling them to the same extent. And then off the field as well in terms of the players, so we're looking after the players exactly the same so they'll get paid the same daily allowance, they'll be staying in the same hotels, the overseas players will be flying in on the same standard of flights. So how we've approached the competition really has embodied that gender parity and we've tried to do everything we can to co-position men's and women's cricket on that same platform and to really normalise cricket as a sport for men and women, boys and girls."
- Embargoed: 4th August 2021 10:41
- Keywords: Amy Jones Edgbaston Kia Oval Lord's The Hundred cricket equality gender
- Location: VARIOUS
- City: VARIOUS
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Cricket,Europe,Sport,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA002EMSYM2N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The Hundred, a new cricket competition that aims to put gender equality at its heart, launches today (July 21).
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has invested heavily in the competition, which it hopes will attract new, younger audiences to the sport. Matches will comprise 100 balls per innings with a change of ends after 10 deliveries. Eight teams from seven cities will compete in the new competition, that will feature international and domestic cricketers, including England women's and men's World Cup winners. All games will be broadcast live on Sky Sports and the BBC.
Measures have been introduced to make this competition more gender-equal, including gender-neutral language ('batter' instead of 'batsman'), equal investment (equal prize money, hotels, flights), and visibility (all women's games broadcast and equal marketing platform). The salaries will not be the same for the men and the women, which is a point The Hundred says they will be looking to address in the future.
The tournament will start with a standalone women's game between Oval Invincibles and Manchester Originals at the Kia Oval. The men's competition begins a day late on July 22.
The launch of the inaugural edition was postponed last year due to the pandemic.
(Production: Sophie Penney) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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