ECB to make final decision on number of fielded players in 100-ball competition

The ECB has held discussions about allowing teams to field more than 11 players per match in the proposed 100-ball tournament, Sky Sports News understands.

The ECB's performance group is exploring the idea of having 16-man squads with 12 players allowed per match, allowing for the possibility of players being picked as a specialist batsman, bowler or fielder.

The eight-team competition, due to start in the summer of 2020, was announced earlier this year.

Teams were set to face 15 six-ball overs followed by an additional 10 deliveries but that idea could be replaced by 10 10-ball overs that can either be bowled by one player or two players bowling five balls each.

An ECB spokesperson said: "No decisions have been made on the playing conditions for the new competition, which will start in the summer of 2020.

"To develop the competition, there are a number of ongoing discussions, including within a High-Performance group who are planning a series of pilot matches in September.

"Conversations with players, host venues and stakeholders across the game are vital to the development and inevitably lead to speculation on a range of matters.

"Ultimately, it is the Board of the ECB who makes the final decisions on the format and the rules for the new competition and that is expected later this year."

Pilot matches to test this idea could take place in September.