The Hundred: Shane Warne, Kevin Pietersen feel tournament will get 'bigger and better' in upcoming years

London: The Hundred is going to “get bigger and better” in the coming years, feel spin legend Shane Warne and former England star Kevin Pietersen after the 100-ball-a-side competition enjoyed a successful inaugural edition. The first edition of the innovative event concluded in front of a full house at Lord’s on Saturday, leaving the cricket fraternity excited. “I think it has gone beyond expectations,” said London Spirit head coach Warne told Sky Sports. “The cricket that has been on display, the skill on display from all the different teams at various times, has been outstanding.” Oval Invincibles took the women’s crown while Southern Brave triumphed in the men’s competition. “To see full houses everywhere you go, on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday night in Birmingham, Manchester, London - it has been packed and the crowds have really got into it and I think it’s been fantastic! It’s only going to get bigger and better with every year. “I think it is sensational to see how it really has captured the imagination,” Warne added. The tournament was held amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which pushed back the start by a year. The competing teams play a single innings made up of 100 balls each with a game lasting about two and a half hours. It has been conceptualised to draw a younger audience for cricket. Pietersen, a former England skipper, is not surprised by the response the tournament received in its very first edition. “It’s so cool to see franchise cricket in the UK,” he said. “The one thing we know is that British public supports sport so well. “No matter what it is, where it is; the Tour de France started in this country a few years ago and there were packed streets watching them. “So you knew that the big sports, a summer sport like cricket was going to be supported,” Pietersen said. The star England batsman of his time, who has also played a bit of franchise cricket, added, “To see these scenes, to see franchise cricket here and to see it so well celebrated and supported — love it. “My little lad, that’s the audience that you want, you want the kids coming in, and he’s absolutely buzzing! He’s got his Southern Brave jumper on and is running around here. “The audience is in, the guys (players) have been brilliant, giving up their time.”