The BBC's coverage of The Hundred cricket tournament has drawn complaints from viewers, with some switching off minutes into the broadcast due to poor sound quality and excessive presentation. The sixth edition of the tournament began on Tuesday (July 21) with live coverage on BBC Two from The Kia Oval in London.
New presenters introduced
Isa Guha returned to host the coverage, joined by fellow World Cup winner Alex Hartley, as well as new faces including former India Test captain Ajinkya Rahane, ex-New Zealand international Katey Martin, World Cup winner Mark Wood, and current England Test opener Emilio Gay. At the start of the MI London women's fixture against Sunrisers Leeds, Guha handed over to Hartley, who said: "We've got the band back together here for The Hundred, but we've also got a couple of new guests." Hartley then introduced Rahane and Martin.
Viewer complaints
While some fans shared excitement about the new pundits, others issued complaints about the commentary and sound quality. One person wrote on X: "No I won't be watching anymore of The Hundred. I gave it a chance, but had to switch off." Another added: "Come on @BBCSport we're watching @thehundred and it's very poor sound quality from the ground... not what we expect of the BBC at all." A third simply said: "Painful," while someone else commented: "The BBC have really overdone it in their presentation of The Hundred cricket contest. Far too much rubbish and little cricket."
Tournament details
The Hundred is a white-ball cricket tournament designed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to attract more investment and diverse audiences. It features eight teams representing UK cities, and matches last two-and-a-half hours. The BBC is broadcasting 16 matches, including eight double headers, on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer over the next few weeks. Coverage continues Wednesday (July 22) with the Southern Brave men's and women's sides playing against Welsh Fire at the Utilita Bowl in Southampton.
