Major League Cricket 'not a threat' to Hundred now

Major League Cricket (MLC) main executive Johnny Grave says nan tourney should not beryllium seen arsenic a threat to The Hundred immoderate more.

The 3rd version of nan United States' franchise convention starts connected Friday astatine 02:00 BST erstwhile defending champions Washington Freedom look San Francisco Unicorns.

MLC's emergence caused immoderate uneasiness successful English cricket pinch fears a conflict pinch The Hundred would create a scramble for nan champion English and overseas players.

However, relations betwixt nan England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and MLC person improved pinch some parties keen to activity together truthful nan tournaments do not overlap wherever possible.

A number of American investors - including immoderate pinch interests successful MLC - are successful nan process of finalising deals to get stakes successful franchise successful The Hundred pursuing nan ECB waste earlier this year.

"The likes of England and Australia and India person had complete monopolies and world dominance," Grave told BBC Sport.

"There's ever a spot of affectional threat from thing that's caller that could destabilise what's been before.

"But I deliberation now nan narration and connection pinch nan ECB is great. Certainly, I don't deliberation we [MLC] are a threat to nan ECB."

Washington Freedom will person Steve Smith, presently playing for Australia successful nan World Test Championship last against South Africa, disposable for 2 games of MLC.

Later successful nan summertime Smith will hook up pinch Welsh Fire for a stint successful The Hundred.

Freedom are owned by American-Indian IT entrepreneur Sanjay Govil, who besides agreed a woody to bargain a 50% liking successful Fire.

Grave attended an informal gathering of world franchise owners astatine Lord's past week and is optimistic of an ongoing tone of cooperation.

"I'm surely philosophical astir nan request to coexist," said Englishman Grave, who antecedently held elder positions astatine Surrey and nan Professional Cricketers' Association.

"Particularly pinch The Hundred and nan Caribbean Premier League that beryllium intimately to nan model that we presently are in.

"MLC is really only willing successful processing a location audience. We request to build a instrumentality guidelines successful nan United States.

"The reality is we'll beryllium playing nether lights astatine nighttime successful nan US, truthful we're not really competing against nan English merchandise for English cricket fans."

World Cup victor Liam Plunkett, who is joined to an American and lives successful Pennsylvania, and Alex Hales are nan only English typical successful this year's tournament.

When MLC launched elder figures expressed a desire to lure immoderate of England's apical players to nan tourney successful nan future, including Harry Brook and Ben Stokes.

Grave acknowledged MLC's franchises look to person cooled connected that idea.

"I don't deliberation English players will beryllium thing that our teams are needfully targeting," Grave added.

"They would beryllium competing against nan opportunities that beryllium for English players successful their location marketplace for them to enactment astatine location and play successful beforehand of their friends and families.

"But I deliberation surely for players who want to look astatine opportunities abroad, then, I deliberation MLC is simply a hugely breathtaking level for them."