'I think ECB screwed up' - Michael Vaughan lambasts cricket board for overlapping The Hundred with Olympics 2024

The cricket world is bracing for the Los Angeles Olympics 2028 as the sport will enter the biggest stage for the first time. This will be the first time cricket has been considered one of the sports to be featured in the Olympics as football and tennis have enjoyed the privilege for years now. With every country scheduling their fixtures around the recent Paris Olympics 2024, to make sure viewership does not get compromised, The Hundred walked the other path.  

The Hundred League, run by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), scheduled the latest edition of the tournament amidst the Paris Olympics. The league which was already struggling to gain traction was hit by the Tsunami of Olympic fervour. Former England skipper, Michael Vaughan, has blasted at ECB for poor management and called for abstaining from any bilateral series.

Also Read: SRH, LSG join RR in three-way battle for Yorkshire ownership

“I'll be honest about this year's Hundred. I think the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) screwed up. I think they put it up against the Olympics. I just think that the scheduling of this year's Hundred was poor. When you think, you are trying to sell it for a lot of money. I think the ECB have got to make it very, very kind of brutal call. I don't think there should be bilateral one-day series anymore,” Vaughan was quoted as saying by The Telegraph Cricket.

It's a squad that wins not the 11 players: Sam Billings

Staying away from the traction, if talked about the tournament only, The Hundred 2024 final was played at the Lord’s on August 18.  Oval Invincibles and Southern Brave tussled for the glory as Invincibles lifted the trophy thumping Brave by 17 runs. Sam Billings managed to defend the title and he quipped that the win was through the contribution of the whole squad.

Also Read: Andrew Flintoff to discontinue as England coaching staff; ECB doesn't bother responding

“Happy it ended the right way. We spoke at one of the first team meetings this year, it's a squad that wins not the 11 players and it again comes back to the environment and other subjective things. Tom Lammonby is an example, he played the team role, me and TC said to him yesterday in the practice session, you are going to be the difference. He has not had the impact but they are the kind of team performers you want to see,” Billings said.