The England and Wales Cricket Board has presented its plan for a revolutionary, 100 ball format to be used in the proposed eight-team franchise competition.

Once introduced, the format will see each team face 100 deliveries. It will be split into 15 traditional six ball overs with a 10 ball over to finish.

The new format will link both the men's and women's competitions, which will also share the same team identities.

Additionally, the plan has received unanimous support from the newly established T20 board and those present at the Lords meeting.

The 100 ball plan is still being refined although it has been approved by the player's representatives, both male and female, as well as the heads of the eighteen first-class counties.

Attracting a younger audience?

The ECB's Chief Executive Officer, Tom Harrison, believes that "this is a fresh and exciting idea" which will "appeal to a younger audience" and ultimately "attract new fans to the game".

The ECB also hopes that it will help differentiate the format from the Vitality Blast and other T20 competitions around the globe like the IPL in India and the Big Bash League in Australia.

This will be the biggest shake-up to the game since the incorporation of T20 cricket in 2003 and the ECB hopes that it will add a "fresh tactical dimension" and offer "energy, excitement and simplicity".

How will the new competition work?

The new franchise tournament will feature eight new teams who will play a total of 36 games in a 38 day period with four home games per team and coverage shared between Sky and the BBC.

It will incorporate a playoff system, modelled on the IPL, to encourage teams to finish as high up as possible, with a draft system to pick a 15 man squad with three overseas stars.

The counties will be guaranteed an income of £1.3 million a year, and the tournament will not overlap schedules with the Vitality Blast.

The Oval, Lords, the Ageas Bowl, Edgbaston, Old Trafford, Headingley, Trent Bridge and the SWALEC stadium chosen as venues for the competition.

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