Welsh Fire

Welsh Fire () 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 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.

As part of the 2025 Hundred sale, the ECB gave Glamorgan County Cricket Club a 51% stake in the franchise with the remaining 49% sold in an auction process. Glamorgan County Cricket Club opted to sell 1% of their stake with Washington Freedom acquiring 50% of the franchise. They took operational control on 1 October 2025.

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. denotes a player who is unavailable for rest of the season.

Women's side No.NameNationalityDate of birth (age)Batting styleBowling styleNotes Batters6 Freya Kemp Left-handed Left-arm medium England central contract12 Abi Norgrove Right-handed Right-arm off break 13 Georgia Voll Right-handed Right-arm off break Overseas player86 Ella McCaughan Right-handed Right-arm leg break All-rounders 10 Orla Prendergast Right-handed Right-arm medium Overseas player; Replacement player11 Heather Graham Right-handed Right-arm medium Overseas player27 Niamh Holland Right-handed Right-arm medium Wildcard player35 Georgia Wareham Right-handed Right-arm leg break Overseas player77 Sophie Devine Right-handed Right-arm medium Captain; Overseas player; Ruled out through injury— Fi Morris Right-handed Right-arm off break Wicket-keepers8 Sarah Bryce Right-handed — 17 Rhianna Southby Right-handed — Pace bowlers 9 Grace Potts Right-handed Right-arm medium 37 Em Arlott Right-handed Right-arm medium 88 Grace Thompson Right-handed Right-arm medium Spin bowlers16 Sophia Smale Right-handed Slow left-arm orthodox 64 Georgia Davis Right-handed Right-arm off break Wildcard player

Men's side No.NameNationalityDate of birth (age)Batting styleBowling styleNotes Batters2 Matthew Short Right-handed Right-arm off break Overseas player22 Jordan Cox Right-handed Right-arm off break 32 Tom Kohler-Cadmore Right-handed Right-arm off break 55 Asa Tribe Right-handed Right-arm off break 66 Joe Root Right-handed Right-arm off break England central contract All-rounders8 Ben Kellaway Right-handed Right-arm off breakSlow left-arm orthodox 17 Rachin Ravindra Left-handed Slow left-arm orthodox Overseas player70 Marco Jansen Right-handed Left-arm fast-medium Overseas player Wicket-keepers61 Phil Salt Right-handed Right-arm off break Captain; England central contract Pace bowlers 7 Jordan Clark Right-handed Right-arm fast-medium Wildcard player16 Sam Cook Right-handed Right-arm fast-medium 19 Chris Woakes Right-handed Right-arm fast-medium 69 Lockie Ferguson Right-handed Right-arm fast Overseas player— Tom Aspinwall Right-handed Right-arm medium — Dillon Pennington Right-handed Right-arm fast-medium Wildcard player Spin bowlers— Jafer Chohan Right-handed Right-arm leg break

Seasons Women's team SeasonGroup stagePlayoff stageRef. Pld W L T NR Pts Pos Pld Pos20218260048thDid not progress20226150028thDid not progress202385201113rd13rd202485201111st12nd20258170048thDid not progress202684400165thDid not progress

Men's team SeasonGroup stagePlayoff stageRef. Pld W L T NR Pts Pos Pld Pos20218350067thDid not progress20228080008thDid not progress20238431094thDid not progress20248240266thDid not progress20258260088thDid not progress202684400165thDid not progress

Notes

Welsh Fire

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