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Patel: Hundred trial run was 'pretty good'

Patel captained the North to a nine-run win over the South.

Samit Patel was positive about the controversial 100-ball format after a trial match he felt was similar to a Twenty20 game.

The tentatively-titled 'The Hundred' is scheduled to be launched in the summer of 2020 and is being road-tested across six pilot days this month as the England and Wales Cricket Board looks to a gain a clearer idea on the idiosyncrasies of the competition.

At Trent Bridge on Monday, Nottinghamshire's former England all-rounder Patel led a 'North' side also containing Billy Root – brother of Test captain Joe – to a nine-run victory over a 'South' outfit captained by Kent's Alex Blake in a match that lasted two hours and 17 minutes.

Trent Bridge played host to a pilot day for the 100-ball format being trialled by the ECB (Mike Egerton/PA)
Trent Bridge played host to a pilot day for the 100-ball format being trialled by the ECB (Mike Egerton/PA)

Former England all-rounder Patel said: "It was pretty good actually, it was different to what I was expecting. We're playing 20 balls less (than T20) but there's not really much difference, to be honest.

"It did feel shorter. I know I bowled a lot of spinners, the interesting fact would be when I have to bowl the seamers, and how much time we have between overs, that kind of stuff.

"We've been told to give it a crack. These trial games are just to see where we're at. I'm sure there will be different rules and regulations that may come into it but, for this bit, I think it's been pretty good, to be honest."

The ECB's proposed new flagship competition has proved contentious since it was announced in April as rumours swirled of five-ball overs and a change of ends every 10 deliveries.

Both proposals were in place in Nottingham, while bowlers could send down up to 10 deliveries at one time and that was unrestricted by the change of ends.

Billy Root played for the 'North' against the 'South' (Mike Egerton/PA)
Billy Root played for the North against the South (Mike Egerton/PA)

Further playing regulations included a 20-ball powerplay – in which two fielders were allowed outside the 30-yard circle, as in the T20 format – to start the innings, while the fielding captain was able thereafter to call a strategic timeout up until the 70th ball.

The timeouts lasted up to two and a half minutes, during which time the coaches were able to enter the fray, while fielding substitutes were trialled.

The regulations remain a work in progress at this stage and could be subject to further change before the format is finalised.

The timeout proved invaluable for the North as the South collapsed from 66 without loss after 25 balls, as they chased a 138-run victory target, to 128 all out.

Patel added: "Put it down to a momentum shift, we stopped their momentum."

He believes the regulations could promote a fresh tactical dimension after admitting he would be swayed by how a bowler ended his five-ball block before deciding whether he could immediately bowl another five.

He said: "If the last ball went for six, I'd change it. I think you have to to be like that, just to keep people's minds fresh.

"If that fifth ball goes for six, the rest of that over, or the next five balls, could change the momentum of the fixture."

Patel believes the format will prove to be superior to the T10 League – where matches consist of 10 overs each – which launched in the United Arab Emirates last year.

"I can imagine that's a lot more chaotic," he said. "Clearly a lot less balls in a shorter time-frame, everyone's coming in swinging.

"Everyone that we saw today didn't come in and swing straight away. I think in T10 cricket you need to come in and swing (the bat) from ball one."

As for any changes he would like to see, Patel said: "From a visualisation from the crowd perspective, I think they need the balls remaining to be bigger on the screen.

"I reckon that you need to get that message across that there is a wow factor of balls left, not a little thing on the bottom of the screen where people won't be able to see it."

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