The Hundred can be ‘silver bullet’ and ‘game-changer’, insists county cricket chief
Durham chief executive Tim Bostock says the Hundred will be the “silver bullet” for English cricket and reiterated his county’s commitment to establishing a franchise in the north east.
The future of the controversial 100-ball competition is currently under discussion, with expansion from eight teams to 10 and opening up to external investment among the options being considered by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
Another possibility for attracting investment is selling a stake in the Hundred itself. English cricket chiefs turned down an offer of £400m for a 75 per cent stake in the competition from private equity firm Bridgepoint Group last year.
“There’s probably no bigger strategic decision to be made than this one. You’re not going to please everybody but you’ve got to get it right,” said Bostock.
“This is the silver bullet, game-changer for the game. Despite all the criticism, I’m yet to see another product three years on from start-up that is thought to be worth £750m. That money will sustain 18 counties, accelerate the growth of the women’s game and support recreational cricket.
“The economic reality is that without the advent of the Hundred and the huge investment it’s going to bring, it’s unlikely we’d still have 18 counties in five years’ time.
“We need to make sure the Hundred is monetised to become recognised as the second best short-form competition in the world, after the IPL [Indian Premier League]. To do that, you’ve got to pay the money that attracts the best players and for that we need investment.”
The ECB has sounded out sovereign wealth funds, owners of IPL franchises and private equity firms about possible investment. It hopes to conclude a consultation with counties by April, paving the way for change to take effect in 2025.
That could see Durham get men’s and women’s teams of their own in the Hundred. The county is currently affiliated to the Northern Superchargers, who play 90 miles away at Yorkshire’s Headingley.
“As a destination, the north east is well placed. We’ve seen the Saudis have bought Newcastle United just down the road and you don’t need to be a brain surgeon to see they are building a portfolio,” said Bostock.
“We are 100 per cent committed to bringing a franchise to the north east. We pitched for it originally and I think we were close. We don’t have a divine right, that would be complacent, but we are very confident we would be able to mobilise very quickly.
“The north of the country cannot be ignored and we have an international ground ready to go. The facilities and infrastructure are in place. We’ve got to make the business case, put our best foot forward and make sure the ECB can’t turn us down.”