LONDON: England cricket chief Tom Harrison says the controversial Hundred competition will help protect other formats of the game despite fears over its potential impact.
The Hundred, starting in 2020, is a new tournament consisting of eight city-based franchise sides, breaking away from the traditional county system.
The players’ draft was held at the weekend but opposition to the tournament remains. #StopThe100 trended on Twitter while the draft was taking place and several people were asked to remove “Oppose the 100” T-shirts during an evidence session held by British lawmakers involving England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Harrison and other ECB officials.
“The 100 is a really good way of protecting everything that we are serious about,” Harrison said on Wednesday.
“It’s about protecting Test match cricket, it’s about protecting four-day Championship cricket, it’s about getting kids playing more cricket at school.
“This is engaging at a different level with a completely new community in this country and that is something we should embrace and celebrate.”