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Former England ODI captain Adam Hollioake, famed for leading Surrey to three titles, was forced to take up professional boxing and cage fighting in Australia to pay his bills after facing bankruptcy in 2011.
England's Adam Hollioake took up cage fighting to pay his bills
Adam Hollioake was born in Australia but is best known for representing England internationally. He is renowned for his successful tenure leading Surrey, where he captained the side to three County Championship titles between 1997 and 2003. Hollioake made his ODI debut in 1996, eventually playing 35 One-Day Internationals, and notably led England to victory in the Sharjah Cup in 1997, though he never achieved success in Test cricket.
The all-rounder retired in 2004 after starring in 173 first-class matches for Surrey and subsequently engaged in charity work. Despite successfully building a reputable property portfolio, Hollioake faced financial ruin 14 years ago following the global property crash.
'Stepping into a cage and fighting another man is nothing compared to the fear of not being able to look after your family'
The collapse of his company, the Hollioake Group, which held debts of approximately £13 million upon liquidation in 2010, left him without a source of retirement income, as he had relied solely on property. The 54-year-old was subsequently forced to take up another sport to cover his expenses. The financial collapse was compounded by a legal case after a businessman sued both Hollioake and his father. One year after his business collapsed, the former cricket star was officially declared bankrupt in Australia. Soon after this ruling, Hollioake transitioned into combat sports. He appeared on the professional boxing circuit in Brisbane, fighting multiple times, and also participated in other mixed martial arts disciplines, including competing as a light heavyweight and taking part in cage fighting.
"All of a sudden from having all the money I needed and the accolades of being an England captain and everyone doing everything for me, there I was 40 years old, trying to look after my kids and not knowing how I was going to be able to pay my rent or any bills that came in," Hollioake told the PCA magazine.
"Stepping into a cage and fighting another man is nothing compared to the fear of not being able to look after your family. For me that is the scariest thing I have ever been through. It's been one hell of a ride and it's been pretty scary. I'd advise players to take advantage of the facilities and things which the PCA can offer you. Make sure you look after your pension. That saved my life and my sanity just about. I don't want people to come down my path. I don't want them to have to go and do what I have had to do. Hopefully I can help some people out and give them some advice to stay on top of their affairs," he added.
Hollioake eventually set aside his combat sports career and transitioned into coaching in 2017. He gained experience assisting a variety of teams before taking on a prominent role as the batting coach for Pakistan during their tour of Australia in 2023.
A year later, he returned to his former team, Surrey, as an assistant coach. Following a successful spell there, his career progressed further when he was appointed as the head coach of Kent in December 2024, signing a three-year deal. Upon formalizing his contract approximately 12 months ago, Hollioake expressed his pride, stating, "I'm honoured to be appointed as the head coach of Kent."
"It's an amazing chance for me to work with a great squad of players and to be involved with a county with such a rich history of success. County cricket is something that I hold extremely close to my heart, and this is an opportunity that I could not turn down," he concluded.
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