The Hundred returns with pyrotechnics, Pooran’s hitting and echoes of John Newman’s early success

The Hundred returned to the summer schedule with a revamped spectacle that combined on-field fireworks and musical callbacks. The relaunch featured pyrotechnics alongside notable hitting from Nicholas Pooran and drew on the early chart success of John Newman.

Organisers presented the tournament with amplified production elements while showcasing big-hitting performances, most visibly from Pooran. Music played a visible role in the event’s staging, referencing songs that connected beyond sport. John Newman's early career is cited in that soundtrack: in 2012 his first hit, as featured vocalist on Rudimental’s Feel the Love, went straight into the charts at No 1. The following year his first solo release, Love Me Again, did it too, also earning him a Brit nomination for single of the year and one for the Ivor Novellos as best song musically and lyrically.

The on-field action included moments designed to complement the showpiece atmosphere, with Pooran’s aggressive strokeplay singled out in organisers’ and commentators’ coverage as a highlight of the return. Pyrotechnics and stadium presentation were deployed to create a festival-like feel around matches, aiming to merge cricketing spectacle with entertainment production. The combination of entertainment and sport echoed the tournament’s branding and presentation choices.

Music selections woven into the event drew directly from Newman’s catalogue and its public profile. Feel the Love and Love Me Again were mentioned in event materials and discussion as recognisable hooks for audiences familiar with Newman’s early chart achievements. Those choices underlined an intent to tap into broader pop-cultural touchstones alongside cricketing narratives.

Newman’s own career arc is part of that cultural reference: by 2012 and 2013 he had achieved consecutive chart-topping entries and industry recognition, milestones that the event’s production referenced. In 2022, while preparing to relaunch his career, Newman was interviewed by the NME. "I’m crazy nervous but really excited," he said. "I could become the biggest artist in the world or it might all go wrong, who knows?"

The relaunch paired spectacle and soundtrack in a bid to recreate a lively atmosphere around the competition, with Nicholas Pooran’s batting and the chosen musical links prominent elements. Those components were presented together as part of the tournament’s attempt to reassert itself on the summer sporting calendar and to reconnect with audiences drawn to both cricket and entertainment.