The Hundred: Welsh Fire's Adam Zampa says event will benefit counties

Australia spinner Adam Zampa feels the county game will benefit from increased interest in the sport as a result of the Hundred franchise competition.

"You either innovate or you disintegrate," said Zampa ahead of his first home game for Welsh Fire against Oval Invincibles at Sophia Gardens.

Welsh Fire are expecting a five-figure crowd after their first season saw crowds restricted by coronavirus.

South Africa batter David Miller is expected to make his debut.

Miller is set to make the short journey over the Severn after playing for his country against Ireland in Bristol the previous night.

Pakistan pace bowler Naseem Shah has been ruled out of the tournament due to international selection, while Zampa will miss the end of the group stages, and Afghan spinner Noor Ahmad also faces fixture clashes.

The headaches come after England star Jonny Bairstow pulled out of his scheduled participation in the first two matches because of exhaustion.

Zampa, who has played county cricket for Essex, is bullish about the Hundred despite the clash with the counties' One Day Cup schedule.

"I think entertainment and sport go hand in hand, if you get people watching and it's a good spectacle, I don't understand what the issue is," Zampa told BBC Sport Wales.

"There seems to be a particular issue in this country with traditionalists and keeping the county game strong, but the county game's only going to get stronger with competitions like this. My first experience (in Southampton) was a packed house, I'm loving it."

Welsh Fire will need a drastic improvement on their nine-wicket opening defeat away to Southern Brave, while opponents Oval Invincibles did not live up to their name with a narrow defeat in the London derby.

Meanwhile after a break for the birth of his first son, Zampa is looking forward to his brief spell in Wales before heading to Zimbabwe to begin preparations for the World Cup.

"I love the format, it's good to be playing cricket again and it's a big six months coming up for me so this is just the start of it," he added.