“My view is that every county must add value to the game and justify their funding from the ECB if they are to be sustainable and help the sport grow,” said Hollins, who has worked in cricket for more than 15 years. “Some counties have lost their importance as the game and society have changed. I think what’s the point of just existing? It’s not easy, most counties are owned by a relatively modest number of members, some of whom want cricket to go back to how it used to be.”
“The game is going through a transformation and it is clear that there will be change. It is really important to have strong clubs that have a real significance in their communities and inspire their residents through cricket, which is our goal at Somerset.” [to inspire the south west]“It is important that these clubs have a strong future.”
“It is important that Southwest participate in the 100.”
Hollins believes Somerset has a good case to be home to one of the two new franchises, and fears for the club’s future if it is excluded if the competition expands, thus starving for cricket in the August hundred window.
“I have been encouraged by some of the discussions around the Hundred for the game. “It is important for South West cricket that we are involved in top-table competition,” he said. “If not then I am worried about the future. We’ve definitely said we’d like to be one of the eight or ten. There are six million people in the Southwest, all of whom are isolated and do not support this competition [Hundred].
“Sky, the BBC and the ECB have done a fantastic job to make the competition a success but there are still six million people who don’t feel part of the competition and it’s important to rectify that. The local competition is at the top of the table, if the South West doesn’t have a role in it, our ability to inspire “People to play cricket will be very limited. We haven’t had our first cricket match here for 43 days since the last tournament match on July 27, so we’re trying to inspire the kids during the school holidays.”
Hollins will step down at the end of March and will be replaced by former Somerset opener Jamie Cox, who joins from MCC, where he was head of cricket. Hollins intends to act as a county advisor to leverage his experience in Somerset and with the ECB. A new association agreement between the ECB and the counties, which provides a framework for financing, is due to be negotiated next year.