Target audience lap up the gimmicks as The Hundred's opening night hits the right note

NICK HOWSON AT THE KIA OVAL: Oval Invincibles and Manchester Originals kick off the competition but are only a small part of the whole event

"That Oval Invincibles kit is soooo cool."

It was a line that will have heartened ECB executives.

A group of young girls enthused by the look of, hopefully, their new favourite personality.

It was a snapshot. On opening night. But it echoed the vibe in south London.

There were 7,395 crammed into the home of Surrey County Cricket Club for the first match of The Hundred. The ECB believe it to be a professional record for a domestic women's match, but that can be taken with a pinch of salt.

There is work to do to reach 60 per cent capacity target (The Oval is a 25,500 seater venue). A record or not this is a decent base from which to build.

If we haven't seen any movement in a fortnight when the word has been spread, then let's talk about struggling attendances.

Indeed, it would be harsh to overly criticise the execution of the opening game.

^{Dane van Niekerk's half-century guided the Invincibles to victory with two balls to spare}

Innings lasting 65 minutes (the regulations state the final five must start inside 65 minutes) seems awfully ambitious if you want DRS, time for boundaries, wickets and music between each break in play. And then there is rain to factor in.

Again, if these kinks have not been ironed out after a few rounds then bring on the intense scrutiny.

That the mid-innings break was reduced says plenty about how conscious the ECB is about the broadcaster's desires being satisfied. Nevertheless, BBC2's Inside the Factory was moved back by 30 minutes, which isn't a sustainable measure.

Having run over by seven minutes, just 12 separated the end of the Manchester Originals innings and the Invincibles chase. The reply ran over by six minutes and included two fewer balls.

It is fair to say everyone is the winner by the shift. Apart from perhaps Becky Hill, the musical entertainment whose set was cut.

Whatever format you prefer, it's great to see a crowd reacting like this to any kind of cricket#TheHundredpic.twitter.com/iXQ8a6jd9D

— The Cricketer (@TheCricketerMag) July 21, 2021

Indeed, the best thing about the Midlanders' show was her Birmingham Phoenix-inspired attire which was very on-brand.

The execution of her entire performance needs work. She performed on a stage that wasn't facing any fans. Her performance seemed like an afterthought. It will be interesting to see whether other stages are positions and if fans can get to them.

It would be fair to say that many of the gimmicks around the cricket have been seen before. There is nothing new in pre-match fireworks, music at every lull, interviews with crowd members and fire-breathing plinths.

At times, this felt like a child-friendly Twenty20 Cup greatest hits. No hot tubs or Ferris wheels, but many other bells and whistles.

The crowd was not the only one enthused by the spectacle. "What's this s**t?!" Emma Lamb gleamed as she strode to the middle. She won't have seen this every day at Boughton Hall. That might explain her nicking off second ball.

If the ECB are happy to see moderate crowds, but their target audience is among them, then this is an ideal framework for the rest of the tournament.

^{Becky Hill provided the entertainment from the stage}

However, it will be interesting how much future crowds become part of the sport.

Some of the better cricket skills were well appreciated -  Georgia Adams' catch to dismiss Georgie Boyce, Harmanpreet Kaur's stylish batting, Kate Cross' early haul and Dane van Niekerk's matchwinning fifty - but the reception felt kind rather than fully engaged.

Celebrations were close to euphoric as the home side got over the line. But future games won't all be as thrilling as this.

There was a pleasant hum around The Oval throughout this summer holiday evening. At Lord's, we generally celebrate such an audible delight, so there is no reason why we can't on this occasion.

Perhaps the atmosphere can be better summed up by what created the greatest reaction: a young girl singing a rendition of Wiz Khalifa's See You Again. Even some of the players were impressed.

Again, if the crowd are allowed to sing Sweet Caroline - and there is even a faint rendition here - then this is ok too.

Along with the teething problems, there are other areas that require attention. Intricacies around no balls and free hits need better outlining. If the zing bails go flying spectators need to know why the batter isn't walking off. Clearly, this is a 100-ball innings game until it isn't. Explainers on the big screens had been promised but weren't delivered on.

It is important to note that while new fans are learning the game, so are established ones. These are a new set of regulations that need better communicating to a live audience regardless of if this is their first cricket experience or their 100th. Not everyone takes the playing regulations to bed with us.

The white card which signifies the end of a five is a bit naff. You have two huge screens but you're using a little bit of paper to represent a key point in the game which becomes virtually unseeable come the evening. That can't survive long.

We've been made painfully aware that certain aspects of the scorecard are no longer important. But recognition of individual and team scores are limited. Van Niekerk's half-century was lost in the final analysis.

After years of furious debate, finally, the cricket was allowed to do the talking. Around the fringes, there are aspects that need work, reform and consideration. This was an encouraging beginning, but the hard work starts now.