Birmingham Phoenix
Birmingham Phoenix are a franchise 100-ball cricket side based in the city of Birmingham. The team represents the historic counties of Warwickshire and Worcestershire in the newly founded The Hundred competition, which began its inaugural season on 21st July 2021, during the English and Welsh cricket season. Both the men's and women's sides play at Edgbaston. History. The announcement of the new eight-team men's and women's tournament series in 2019 was not without controversy, with the likes of Virat Kohli criticising the England and Wales Cricket Board for pursuing a shift away  from Test cricket, while others argued the format should have followed the established and successful Twenty20 format. The ECB however decided it needed a more unique format to draw crowds. In July 2019 the side announced that former Australian batsman Andrew McDonald would be the men's team's first coach. McDonald will be assisted by Daniel Vettori, Jim Troughton and Alex Gidman. In September Ben Sawyer was appointed the first coach of the women's side. The inaugural Hundred draft took place in October 2019 and saw the Phoenix claim Chris Woakes as their headline men's draftee, and  Amy Jones as the women's headliner. They are joined by England international Moeen Ali and Worcestershire's Pat Brown for the men's team, while Kirstie Gordon joins Jones in the women's side. Honours. Men's honours. The Hundred Women's honours. The Hundred Ground. Both the Birmingham Phoenix men's side and women's sides play at the home of Warwickshire County Cricket Club, Edgbaston Cricket Ground, in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham. The women's side had been due to play at the home of Worcestershire County Cricket Club, New Road, Worcester but both teams were  brought together at the same ground as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.