I’d like Hundred to be longer – Salt

Salt Calls for Extended Hundred After Grueling Five-Day Stretch

Ninoda.com – Welsh Fire skipper Phil Salt has voiced his desire for The Hundred competition to extend by seven days, following a demanding period where his team contested three fixtures within just five days. Salt contributed 48 runs off 37 deliveries during a substantial 125-run opening stand alongside Matt Short in their clash against Manchester Super Giants.

A Hectic Run of Fixtures

Currently sitting in second place, Welsh Fire secured victories over Birmingham Phoenix on Saturday and Southern Brave on Monday evening before suffering a defeat to Manchester Super Giants on Wednesday. The rapid succession of games left Salt reflecting on the physical demands placed on players.

“It’s been a little bit hectic the last few days,” Salt explained to BBC Sport. “Birmingham, back to Cardiff, up here. It’s a lot to be honest with you in five days and managing bodies through.”

From a player’s perspective, Salt believes extending the tournament would benefit everyone involved. “From a player’s point of view I’d like this competition to be probably a week longer.”

Comparing Global Tournaments

The current format sees The Hundred’s group stage compressed into 23 days, with each team contesting eight matches. Other major tournaments offer more breathing room. Indian Premier League franchises play 14 group fixtures spread across 56 days, while last season’s Australian Big Bash League featured 10 group games within a 36-day timeframe.

Since launching in 2021, The Hundred has added complexity to an already crowded English cricket calendar. The Professional Cricketers Association has consistently highlighted welfare concerns regarding player scheduling.

Player Welfare Concerns Grow

Addressing the 2026 calendar, which included a reduction of two T20 Blast matches, PCA chief executive Daryl Mitchell noted that the County Championship remaining unchanged creates potential issues. He emphasized that player burnout represents both mental and physical risks, particularly with an intense conclusion to the season following The Hundred’s completion.

“We import the best stars in the game for this. We’ve got on our side [the 6ft 8in tall] Marco Jansen and Lockie Ferguson,” Salt added regarding his squad’s international imports.

Salt also highlighted the practical challenges faced by taller players during the compressed schedule. “They’ve done a lot of time on the bus in the last three days! A bus that’s not built for lads that size.”

While acknowledging the difficulty of accommodating additional time within existing frameworks, Salt remains optimistic. “I’d like a bit more time in between to be honest with you, but I understand we’re working with a pretty tight schedule already as it is. I’m not the man for the answer on the schedule, I just like to magic another week of the year somewhere!”

Upcoming Fixtures

Welsh Fire resume their campaign at Headingley on Sunday at 14:30 BST against Sunrisers Leeds. Their final group stage encounter takes place at home against London Spirit next Wednesday.