County triumphs and England turmoil push the Hundred off centre stage
Published: 2026-09-29 00:00:00
The Hundred entered the 2026 season with substantial private investment and a clear run at the summer spotlight. Instead, county fortunes and England’s upheaval commanded much of the attention, leaving the competition looking more like a supporting act than the headline attraction.
County fortunes still stir the strongest feelings
Warwickshire’s County Championship title celebrations brought supporters and players together, with little public focus on Birmingham Phoenix’s disappointing Hundred campaigns. The franchise is 50.4% owned by the county, but the county’s ninth championship success appeared to matter far more to its supporters.
The mood was markedly different at Lancashire. The county finished second-bottom of Division Two after winning twice, cancelled its end-of-season awards event and dismissed director of cricket performance Mark Chilton. Incoming chief executive Richard Kenyon is expected to lead what the club described as a “clear and objective look at our performance operation.” Those frustrations were not erased by Manchester Super Giants’ men’s Hundred triumph, despite Lancashire’s 30% stake in the franchise and overlap in staff.
The Hundred did bring a fresh audience through the gates, although attendances fell 5% in 2026. But the contrasting reactions at Warwickshire and Lancashire underlined how deeply county structures continue to shape English cricket’s emotional landscape.
England’s turbulent summer kept the spotlight
England’s men’s teams were another major distraction from the Hundred. The Test side’s season turned into turmoil: Ben Stokes stepped down as captain after a late-night drinking incident, and Brendon McCullum was moved to the white-ball coaching role following a 2-1 Test defeat to New Zealand.
There were also signs of progress. England swept Pakistan 3-0 in the Test series, albeit against a touring side that struggled with the Dukes ball and endured major disruption. Ollie Robinson took 29 wickets at nine runs apiece in that series, while Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue made 17 and 15 international appearances respectively. Joe Root’s return to the captaincy brought greater calm, and several players—including Jordan Cox, Dan Lawrence and Emilio Gay—were given opportunities to press their cases.
England’s white-ball sides offered a more encouraging outlook ahead of the next World Cup. The T20 team had won 23 of its previous 26 matches, while the 50-over side had won all six of its bilateral series in 2026. Harry Brook’s group still had limited domestic 50-over experience, but the side was beginning to take shape under McCullum, whose approach has become more structured, with fitness and additional preparation games among his priorities.
Injury setback as World Cup preparations continue
Jos Buttler was ruled out of England’s forthcoming Pakistan tour after injuring his hamstring against Sri Lanka. He had retired hurt before returning to bat in pain, then missed the one-day international series decider, which England won by 223 runs. His availability for the subsequent Australia trip in November remained uncertain.
“Jos won’t be in Pakistan,” McCullum said, adding that the absence would give England a chance to assess their options. Jordan Cox is set for an extended opportunity as wicketkeeper-batter. Sam Curran was pushing for a return after a groin problem, while England planned further checks on Adil Rashid’s bowling hand; Jacob Bethell was still recovering from a knee injury.
With a winter of white-ball tours and Test series ahead, there were grounds for cautious optimism about England’s direction. Yet the summer’s broader lesson was that county identity and the national side’s fortunes could still eclipse the franchise competition. The Hundred’s bid to claim top billing in the English summer remains a work in progress.