How do Welsh Fire Respond to Hundred Humiliation?

The Hundred is an innovative competition which is aiming to attract a whole new audience to the sport of cricket. In some respects, it is succeeding with young families more likely to attend the 100-ball competition than the longer formats.

It also helps to build a loyal following if your team is winning. Sadly, in the case of Welsh Fire, that hasn’t been the case.

Fire Fizzle Out

In both the men’s and women’s Hundred in 2022, the Welsh Fire finished at the very bottom of the regular season tables. Not only that but those sides managed to win just one game in 14 combined attempts.

It’s not a record that is likely to develop a fanbase and the backers have some serious decisions to make in the winter. Fire’s performances were widely ridiculed and, in some quarters, were cited as one of the reasons for the Hundred’s difficult second season.

So, where did it go wrong and how can the team bounce back next year?

Prospects for 2023

Betting markets for the 2023 edition of the Hundred will be released in due course, but it’s clear that the two Welsh teams will be at the bottom of the pile. In the men’s section, last year’s champions the Trent Rockets are likely to start as favourites while London Spirit and Southern Brave are also set to be in contention.

When cricket betting sites in the UK publish their odds, they will offer a good indication as to what fans can expect from Welsh Fire next season. Supporters and potential backers can monitor the team’s progress via those sources which are linked to SBO.net.

That website will update the Hundred markets in real time and there’s a range of useful, related information. Breaking news stories, general blog posts and handy betting guides are also published.

With all of that information on board, it’s possible to put knowledge to the test by getting directly involved. Each linking bookmaker is able to take on new customers who are eligible and are happy to complete online registration.

Sign up is secure and the new account should be confirmed in just a few minutes. Many of those operators list a generous welcome package and there may also be ongoing promotions in the future.

Each outlet has a range of deposit and withdrawal options, along with efficient help facilities. Moving forward, customers could also access live markets, mobile betting and a host of other sports.

In summary, it’s the site to follow the Hundred from a betting point of view, but can the Welsh Fire possibly upset those odds?

Local Identity

It’s fair to say that the Welsh Fire is a team lacking in local identity. Not a single player from Wales was selected for the 2022 men’s squad and that’s beyond ironic.

Glamorgan may not be the most successful county in the domestic set up, but there is more than one player who could be effective. If we include Glamorgan representatives born outside of Wales, the Fire should be looking at the likes of Colin Ingram, Chris Cooke, Kiran Carlson, Sam Northeast and Timm van der Gugten.

If he were to be available, Marnus Labuschagne would also be a welcome addition. The Welsh Fire needs players that fans can relate to, otherwise it makes a mockery of the set up.

Players Under Pressure

There were some solid performances with the bat in 2022. Matt Critchley and Ben Duckett stood out with positive contributions but they received little in the way of support. Elsewhere, Joe Clarke, Tom Banton and David Miller have all been forces in T20 cricket, so the fact that all three averaged less than 15 with the bat underlines the problems.

Sadly, there was little in the way of positives among the bowling department. Not one single bowler claimed more than four wickets in the men’s season and that has to improve.

The late withdrawal of Jonny Bairstow clearly affected the team and it’s likely that they would have won at least one game with him in the side. If Bairstow is available in 2023, fortunes would improve, but there is much work to be done if this Welsh Fire squad is to capture the imagination of the cricket loving public in its home country.

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Image credit: 2018.01.21.15.07.16-Johnny Bairstow” (CC BY 2.0) by www.davidmolloyphotography.com