‘I’M PROTECTING OUR SPORT’

want something different. They want it more exciting. They want it shorter. They want it simpler to understand. And those are the things we’ve learned from this new competition.’

Harrison had insisted in a crisis meeting with the Professional Cricketers’ Association last week that The Hundred was just a ‘concept’ and not certain to be adopted as a completely new format as a rival to the Indian Premier League and Big Bash in two years’ time.

But Graves, increasingly a loose cannon, said: ‘Yes,’ when asked whether The Hundred was set in stone, adding: ‘As far as we’re concerned — the ECB board is concerned — the new competition is in place to virtually launch this tournament. We will build it and we will work with the players.’

That was news to PCA chairman Daryl Mitchell, who tweeted: ‘He (Graves) should let Tom Harrison know then. That’s not what he told us last week!’

Graves insists The Hundred is integral to cricket’s future as it seeks a new family audience.

‘We’ve got to make sure this game is sustainable moving forward, both financially and with supporters from all generations,’ he said. ‘As chairman of the ECB my job is to protect English cricket. And that’s what I’m doing.’