Cricket: Outdated terminology like 'wickets', 'batsmen' faces extinction in new 'Hundred' format

England administrators may court further revolt among cricket purists by throwing out traditional terminology like 'wickets' and 'batsmen', as they pitch their new 'Hundred' format to a wider audience. 

Wickets could become 'outs' and batsmen 'batters', making the new tournament more viewer friendly, for example, in a US market already familiar with those expressions through baseball. 

Leg before wicket - possibly the most peculiar of cricket rules - may be discarded altogether.

Originally scheduled to start last year, before COVID-19 intervened, the new competition is a shortened version of the Twenty-20 form, with each team facing 100 balls per innings, changing ends every 10 balls.

Obviously, the traditional six-ball 'over' may become another casualty.

Purists are already outraged by the Hundred and these proposed tweaks - flagged by The Telegraph - will no doubt anger diehard fans even more.  

But research suggests cricketing jargon has turned away potential viewers and the England Cricket Board seems likely to address that issue, when this new format finally launches with a women’s competition, starting July 21. 

While a wide range of options is still being considered, the ECB will need to balance its quest for a new audience with retaining its old one.