# Welsh Fire

Welsh Fire (Welsh: Tân Cymreig) are a franchise 100-ball cricket side based in the city of Cardiff. The team represents the historic counties of Glamorgan, Gloucestershire and Somerset in the newly founded competition called The Hundred, which took place for the first time during the 2021 English and Welsh cricket season. Both the men's and women's teams play their home games at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff.

## History

Welsh Fire was founded in June 2019 as one of eight teams to take part in the inaugural season of The Hundred. The team was jointly run by Glamorgan, Somerset and Gloucestershire County Cricket Clubs. It was reported that the side might be renamed as Western Fire, to allay concerns in Somerset and Gloucestershire that they were not sufficiently represented by the side, but this did not come to fruition.
In July 2019, the team announced that former South Africa and India coach, and current Royal Challengers Bangalore coach Gary Kirsten had been appointed as the men's team coach. The women's side was due to be managed by Matthew Mott, a former Glamorgan coach and the current Australia women's team coach, but he withdrew and was replaced by his assistant coach, Mark O'Leary.
The inaugural Hundred draft took place in October 2019 and saw the Fire claim Jonny Bairstow as their headline men's draftee, and Katie George as the women's headliner. They are joined by Somerset wicketkeeper-batsman Tom Banton, Glamorgan batsman Colin Ingram, and England batter Bryony Smith.
Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc were selected as the flagship £125,000 signings in the first round and are two of the side's three overseas players. With Ingram and Banton already occupying the £100,000 slots, Welsh Fire sat out the second round. Ravi Rampaul and Ben Duckett were selected in the third round for £75,000 and Simon Harmer, along with Afghanistan's Qais Ahmed (the team's third overseas player), were bought for £60,000 in the fourth. Liam Plunkett and Ryan ten Doeschate were the picks in the fifth round for £50,000 and Gloucestershire duo David Payne and Ryan Higgins were selected in the sixth round for £40,000. Danny Briggs and Leus du Plooy complete the squad, having both been bought for £30,000 in the final round. The final place in the squad will go to an outstanding performer in next season's Vitality Blast 20-over competition.
Australian Meg Lanning was the next pick for the ladies' team.

## Honours
### Men's honours

The Hundred
* 4th place: 2023 (highest finish)

### Women's honours

The Hundred
* Runners Up: 2024
* Third place: 2023

## Ground

Both the Fire men's and women's sides play at the home of Glamorgan County Cricket Club, Sophia Gardens Cricket Ground, in the west of Cardiff city centre. The women's side had been due to play some matches at Gloucestershire's Bristol County Ground and Somerset's County Ground, Taunton but both teams were brought together at the same ground as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

## Current squads

* Bold denotes players with international caps.

### Women's side

| No. | Name | Nationality | Date of birth (age) | Batting style | Bowling style | Notes |
| Batters |||||||
| 4 | Emily Windsor | England | (1997-09-14) 14 September 1997 (age 27) | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | |
| 12 | Tammy Beaumont | England | (1991-03-11) 11 March 1991 (age 34) | Right-handed | — | Captain |
| 47 | Sophia Dunkley | England | (1998-07-16) 16 July 1998 (age 26) | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break | |
| All-rounders |||||||
| 34 | Georgia Elwiss | England | (1991-05-31) 31 May 1991 (age 33) | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | |
| 50 | Hayley Matthews | West Indies | (1998-03-19) 19 March 1998 (age 26) | Right-handed | Right-arm off break | Overseas player |
| — | Katie George | England | (1999-04-07) 7 April 1999 (age 25) | Right-handed | Left-arm medium | |
| Wicket-keepers |||||||
| 6 | Sarah Bryce | Scotland | (2000-01-08) 8 January 2000 (age 25) | Right-handed | — | |
| Pace bowlers |||||||
| 42 | Beth Langston | England | (1992-09-06) 6 September 1992 (age 32) | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | |
| 61 | Freya Davies | England | (1995-10-27) 27 October 1995 (age 29) | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | |
| 89 | Shabnim Ismail | South Africa | (1988-10-05) 5 October 1988 (age 36) | Left-handed | Right-arm fast-medium | Overseas player |
| Spin bowlers |||||||
| 21 | Jess Jonassen | Australia | (1992-11-05) 5 November 1992 (age 32) | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox | Overseas player |
| 64 | Georgia Davis | England | (1999-06-03) 3 June 1999 (age 25) | Right-handed | Right-arm off break | |
| — | Katie Levick | England | (1991-07-18) 18 July 1991 (age 33) | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break | |

### Men's side

| No. | Name | Nationality | Date of birth (age) | Batting style | Bowling style | Notes |
| Batters |||||||
| 23 | Stephen Eskinazi | England | (1994-03-28) 28 March 1994 (age 30) | Right-handed | — | |
| 28 | Tom Abell | England | (1994-03-05) 5 March 1994 (age 31) | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | Captain |
| 32 | Tom Kohler-Cadmore | England | (1994-08-19) 19 August 1994 (age 30) | Right-handed | Right-arm off break | |
| — | Steve Smith | Australia | (1989-06-02) 2 June 1989 (age 35) | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break | Overseas player |
| All-rounders |||||||
| 3 | Luke Wells | England | (1990-12-29) 29 December 1990 (age 34) | Left-handed | Right-arm leg break | |
| — | Chris Green | Australia | (1993-10-01) 1 October 1993 (age 31) | Right-handed | Right-arm off break | Overseas player |
| — | Paul Walter | England | (1994-05-28) 28 May 1994 (age 30) | Left-handed | Left-arm medium | |
| — | Saif Zaib | England | (1998-05-22) 22 May 1998 (age 26) | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox | |
| Wicket-keepers |||||||
| 51 | Jonny Bairstow | England | (1989-09-26) 26 September 1989 (age 35) | Right-handed | — | |
| Pace bowlers |||||||
| 7 | David Payne | England | (1991-02-15) 15 February 1991 (age 34) | Right-handed | Left-arm fast-medium | |
| — | Josh Hull | England | (2004-08-20) 20 August 2004 (age 20) | Left-handed | Left-arm fast-medium | |
| — | Riley Meredith | Australia | (1996-06-21) 21 June 1996 (age 28) | Right-handed | Right-arm fast | |
| — | Chris Woakes | England | (1989-03-02) 2 March 1989 (age 36) | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium | Centrally Contracted player |
| Spin bowlers |||||||
| 5 | Mason Crane | England | (1997-02-18) 18 February 1997 (age 28) | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break | |

## Seasons
### Women's team

| Season | Group stage | Group stage | Group stage | Group stage | Group stage | Group stage | Group stage | Playoff stage | Playoff stage | Ref. |
| Season | Pld | W | L | T | NR | Pts | Pos | Pld | Pos | Ref. |
| 2021 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8th | Did not progress | Did not progress | |
| 2022 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8th | Did not progress | Did not progress | |
| 2023 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 3rd | 1 | 3rd | |
| 2024 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 1st | 1 | 2nd | |

### Men's team

| Season | Group stage | Group stage | Group stage | Group stage | Group stage | Group stage | Group stage | Playoff stage | Playoff stage | Ref. |
| Season | Pld | W | L | T | NR | Pts | Pos | Pld | Pos | Ref. |
| 2021 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 7th | Did not progress | Did not progress | |
| 2022 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8th | Did not progress | Did not progress | |
| 2023 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 4th | Did not progress | Did not progress | |
| 2024 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 6th | Did not progress | Did not progress | |
Notes
* ↑ Welsh Fire women qualified for the eliminator in 2023. They played one match, a playoff against Northern Superchargers. After the first innings, rain caused the game to be abandoned with the game ending in a "no result". As Welsh Fire finished the group in 3rd and the Northern Superchargers finished in 2nd, the Northern Superchargers progressed to the final due to a better finishing position in the group stage.
* ↑ Welsh Fire women finished top of the group stage and qualified automatically for the final in 2024. They lost the final against London Spirit by 4 wickets.