Manchester Super Giants and Trent Rockets were the winners of the men's and women's Hundred competitions in 2026. Scheduling issues caused by The Hundred are a "price worth paying", says England and Wales Cricket Board chair Richard Thompson.

The introduction of The Hundred in 2021 squeezed the domestic and international calendar in England, with just two days between the Hundred final and the first Test against Pakistan this summer. While the ECB has ceded some control to new owners and investors and the addition of future teams remains a possibility, Thompson reiterated the stance that the number of days The Hundred is played across will not grow and said the current positives outweigh the negatives.

"Sacrifices have got to be made," he told Sky Sports. "If we can take all of the debt out of the game, which we have, make a generation [of counties] which can reinvent themselves, that is a price worth paying."

What has been the impact of new owners on The Hundred? More than £500m was raised when stakes in the eight Hundred franchises were sold last year - money that has been spread across the professional and domestic game. Some counties have used the funds to clear debts or invest in infrastructure.

But to maximise the tournament's appeal, a window in July and August has been cleared of international cricket so that England's players are available for their franchises. England are no longer able to pull their players out of The Hundred to prepare for international matches and bowler Josh Tongue described the turnaround as "crazy scheduling".

"We were criticised that The Hundred finished and two days later we were playing a Test match at Headingley," Thompson said. "Imagine if that becomes one day - that can't happen."

The Hundred has also added to the congested domestic calendar which includes the County Championship, the T20 Blast and the One-Day Cup, which is now played beneath the Hundred, often as a second-team competition. "We are having to crowbar so much cricket in," Thompson said. "There are only four countries in the world that have managed to create a window that can pretty much guarantee the financial success of their game - us, South Africa, India, Australia."

Thompson also described the continued questions around the professionalism of England's men's team as "enormously" disappointing. Bowler Brydon Carse was left out England's for the second Test against Pakistan after being briefly arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly while on duty with Durham. He was de-arrested but investigations by the police and Cricket Regulator remain ongoing.

Images on social media showed Carse in handcuffs and surrounded by police officers. "When you play for your country you are judged by far higher standards," Thompson said. "What comes with wearing those three lions comes with respect, responsibility and pride. "Unless you live and breathe those qualities there is a problem. "Every player has to understand the responsibility that comes with playing for England."

Durham will pick bowler Carse until told otherwise. Police investigating alleged assault in Carse incident.