MORE than 250 Somerset County Cricket Club members filled the Colin Atkinson Pavilion on Monday evening for the club's AGM.

Among the speakers were Richard Brice (vice-chairman), Nick Farrant (honourary treasurer), Malcolm Derry (interim chief executive) and Andy Hurry (director of cricket), who each gave overviews of their respective departments.

Hurry spoke robustly and passionately about on-field matters, particularly surrounding the 12-point deduction imposed on the club next season following a 'poor' pitch rating for the 2019 season finale against Essex.

Somerset's director of cricket insisted the club had "done everything they could" to make their case against the charge, particularly the allegation of the pitch being "not the best quality that Somerset was able to prepare for the match."

Hurry - who confirmed Somerset will have an overseas player available for every match next season - went on to say the club must now focus on what is to come and overturning the points deficit as quickly as possible.

He stressed the progress made over the past year, highlighting the number of Somerset players and coaches achieving England honours at either senior, Lions or Under-19 level, as well as the enhanced link-up with counties around the south west to ensure Somerset can continue to develop the best local talent.

Off the field, interviews now having been completed with prospective new chief executives - a position which attracted more than 130 applications - and an appointment is to be made shortly.

Nick Farrant gave an overview of the club's financial situation (the 2019 accounts and treasurer's report can be seen here) before Malcolm Derry outlined the good governance review currently being undertaken.

This will see a board of no more than 12 appointed (Somerset's is currently made up of 16), with eight the preferred number - this would be made up of a mixture of executive, non-executive and membership representatives.

Derry said members would be consulted at every stage during this process, which is required to bring the club up to best industry practice as well as ensuring they remain eligible for funding from central bodies.

Among the questions and proposals from the floor came one from former Somerset chairman Andy Nash, a vocal critic of 'The Hundred', which begins this summer.

Nash suggested the club should join forces with other non-Test match grounds to insist upon a legally binding commitment preventing the ECB from making The Hundred a T20 competition should the new 100-ball format fail to impress, in order to protect the Vitality Blast given its importance for counties such as Somerset.

The meeting drew to a close after around an hour and a half and members were thanked for turning out in such strong numbers.