The good news for Welsh Fire is that the Hundred 2023 cannot be worse than 2022. They have effectively got a blank slate to work with, highlighted by their upheaval in the draft and appointment of Mike Hussey as head coach.
Their winless season was beyond disappointing, especially given the fact they won just three times in 2021, coming seventh.
Welsh Fire 2022 Hundred performance
It was a truly pitiful campaign for the Fire, losing all their eight games. Things did not get off to the best start with Jonny Bairstow unavailable for the duration of the competition. Ben Duckett was the main man, scoring 220 runs in eight innings.
Matt Critchley was the other batter to provide some sort of resistance, scoring 118 in five innings at a strike rate of 153.2. Funnily enough, both Duckett and Critchley have both since moved on to other sides - Birmingham Phoenix and London Spirit respectively.
On paper, even without Bairstow, the trio of Tom Banton, Joe Clarke and David Miller had tremendous potential to deliver alongside Duckett. Instead, the three returned just 258 runs in a combined 21 innings, striking at a painful 95.6.
Embed from Getty ImagesJosh Cobb could only muster 45 runs in seven innings in 48 deliveries, while the in-form Sam Hain scored 37 in three innings. Leus du Plooy showed promise in his four visits to the crease, scoring 90 runs but he too has since moved on to Southern Brave.
There was not much to write home about in the bowling department, either. Jake Ball was top wicket-taker, though he took just eight in as many matches. They played three overseas leg-spinners in Ish Sodhi, Adam Zampa and Noor Ahmad, the first two in particular performing well in their limited action.
Changes to the Welsh Fire squad in the 2023 Hundred draft
As predicted, and indeed as required, there was a lot of moving and shaking with the Fire at the 2023 Hundred draft. They retained just six players and kept all their overseas options open.
They made strong use of them as well, picking up the tremendously exciting Pakistan pace duo of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf. They also picked up the livewire New Zealand all-rounder Glenn Phillips.
Embed from Getty ImagesThere were some significant domestic signings, too. Tom Abell was targeted well ahead of time and he has since been named as captain. David Willey could well turn out to be quite the coup for the Fire as he moved from Northern Superchargers; both Abell and Willey were signed in the top price band.
Roelof van der Merwe, so impressive in the inaugural SA20 earlier in the year, could well also represent a shrewd pickup. Stevie Eskinazi has been consistently excellent for Middlesex in white ball cricket in recent years and he will help beef up the top order.
Hussey wanted more of a local connection to his team and promptly plumped for young Glamorgan all-rounder Dan Douthwaite. He was joined by teammate Chris Cooke as a 2023 Hundred wildcard pick following a solid t20 Blast season, as was Lancashire's Luke Wells.
How Welsh Fire 2023 Hundred squad is shaping up
Potential starting XI: Jonny Bairstow, Joe Clarke, Stevie Eskinazi, Tom Abell, Glenn Phillips, David Willey, Ben Green, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Roelof van der Merwe, Haris Rauf, George Scrimshaw
The availability of Bairstow will likely have a huge impact on the Fire's hopes for this season. Clarke will provide an excellent foil, while Eskinazi and Abell will slot in nicely as classy strokemakers to help set up the backend of the innings.
Embed from Getty ImagesWilley could well bat at three to include an extra bowler, with Ball, George Scrimshaw and David Payne all vying for a spot. Ball was the Fire's main man last season but Scrimshaw has enjoyed another solid Blast season.
Somerset all-rounder Green was somewhat surprisingly not one of the 16 wildcard picks, but the withdrawal of England Test batter Ollie Pope has seen him come in as a late replacement. It may even be that he comes straight into the XI, adding to the puzzling nature of his initial snub.
Payne could well fall victim to two of Fire's main signings, with Shaheen and Willey both providing a world-class left-arm option. The batting depth could be an issue, especially if the Cardiff side go for Willey at three.
Shaheen has shown an improved side to his batting, though eight may well be as high as he should probably go. Wells could provide a similar service to what he has done recently with Lancashire in the lower middle order, though Green may well get the nod.
Embed from Getty ImagesThis season, though, the Fire do have some undeniable firepower and 'X factor'. Shaheen and Rauf will present a truly elite fast bowling duo, while Willey is one of the most dangerous new ball bowlers in the competition.
Bairstow and Clarke will need to make some significant contributions at the top, though, especially early on in the competition to help set the tone.
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