The Hundred: Meet the Welsh Fire

Jonny Bairstow and Katie George are two of Welsh Fire's England stars for The Hundred

Their women's line-up boasts the best female wicketkeeper the game has seen, while their men have a wealth of county experience and a destructive top order. Here's BBC Sport's guide to Welsh Fire.

The coaches: A World Cup winner and local knowledge

Gary Kirsten and Mark O'Leary will lead the Welsh Fire men's and women's sides

Taking charge of the men's team is former South Africa international turned globetrotting coach, Gary Kirsten.

Kirsten played more than 100 Test matches and nearly 200 ODIs for South Africa before becoming a highly-regarded coach.

He led India to 50-over World Cup glory in 2011 but has plenty of short-format experience as well, having coached Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League and Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL.

Australia head coach Matthew Mott was set to lead the women's team but has since opted out, with Welshman Mark O'Leary stepping up to replace him.

O'Leary has considerable experience. He was assistant coach to Western Storm when they won the Kia Super League in 2019 and was later promoted to head coach. He also led Cardiff MCCU for several years so will have sufficient knowledge of Sophia Gardens and its conditions.

Ones to watch: Powerful Phillips and amazing Ahmad

Glenn Phillips and Qais Ahmad are two of Welsh Fire's overseas players

Welsh Fire were hit by the late dropout of Kieron Pollard due to injury but his replacement, New Zealand's Glenn Phillips, is one of the most promising white-ball prospects on the circuit at the moment. The 24-year-old power hitter has been playing in the T20 Blast for Gloucestershire and has been in supreme form with both bat and in the field.

He has hit two scores of 94 not out, an unbeaten 41 and a 57 - as well as contributing a few overs with the ball, too. Phillips captured the attention of cricket fans on Twitter with this one remarkable shot against Glamorgan.

It was a toss-up between 20-year-old Qais Ahmad and England's Tom Banton for the second spot here but the Afghan international just pipped it due to the impact a good leg-spinner can have in short-format cricket. Being the side's frontline spinner means the youngster will have a big responsibility but his experience in T20 leagues around the world will serve him well for the role.

Ones to watch: The heir apparent and an all-time great

Whisper it quietly but Welsh Fire have got an exciting summer ahead

Sarah Taylor no longer plays international cricket, but her reputation as a legend of the game remains. She was once described by Adam Gilchrist as the best wicketkeeper in the world, male or female - and that's some praise indeed.

Taylor retired from international cricket because of anxiety but she has recently started playing again for the Northern Diamonds in the women's regional competition.

"The kind of pressure to play cricket for a career was actually really tough for me," she told the BBC in April. "But now I am a lot happier in myself and I can take on a lot more challenges, and Welsh Fire is one of those."

Katie George is arguably the natural successor to England's legendary Katherine Brunt: a fast, feisty bowler who can also give it a whack with the bat.

Her England appearances have been promising so far but she's been plagued with injuries recently so will be coming into the competition without much game time.

The young guns: Matt Critchley and Alex Griffiths

Alex Griffiths and Matt Critchley are two of Welsh Fire's young stars

Derbyshire's 24-year-old leg-spinning all-rounder Matt Critchley had a remarkable start to 2021 in the County Championship with both bat and ball, the highlight being scores of 109, 84 and eight wickets in a match against Worcestershire.

And while he hasn't quite found his rhythm in the T20 Blast yet, there's plenty to suggest he can play a big part for Welsh Fire.

Another all-rounder looking to make an impact in the women's side is Wales' very own Alex Griffiths.

The 19-year-old became a full-time professional cricketer last year when she signed for Western Storm and is currently recovering from a knee injury that has halted the start of her 2021 season.

What's impressive about Griffiths is her strike-rate - she finished with the fourth highest (118.48) in last year's inaugural Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, with a top score of 80. Not bad for a player so young - and while opening the bowling at the same time.

Why Welsh Fire will win The Hundred

Welsh Fire will be hoping Sophie Luff has plenty of runs to celebrate during The Hundred

The men's team will win The Hundred because of their all-rounders - New Zealand's Jimmy Neesham is available for the first three games and their county stalwarts of Ryan Higgins, David Lloyd and Critchley should be instrumental. You could even put Liam Plunkett in that category too, with his lower-order power hitting.

Cardiff is renowned for its small straight boundaries and its pitches have produced many low-scoring games throughout the year so far, so having plenty of different bowling options who can also hit a long ball will be a blessing.

The women's team will win The Hundred because of their experience. Yes, it's a new format to everyone, but players like Sarah Taylor and West Indies' Hayley Matthews are more than used to playing on the big stage and in pressure situations.

Domestic experience will also play a big part and in that regard, look no further than Somerset's finest Sophie Luff. Arguably one of the unluckiest county cricketers to have not played for England, Luff is now also a professional with Western Storm and is one of the most consistent batters on the circuit.

Why Welsh Fire won't win The Hundred

Will Tom Banton be able to show why he's one of England's most exciting stars?

Both the men's and the women's side both probably share the same weakness: their England players.

There is no doubt the ones they have can be gamechangers: Jonny Bairstow, Ollie Pope and Tom Banton for the men, Katie George and Bryony Smith for the women.

But Pope is currently injured and is likely to miss part of the competition due to England commitments anyway, and Bairstow's fluctuation in and out of the Test side could also disrupt the Fire's top order. That would leave a big weight on Banton - nobody doubts his talent; he is one of England's most exciting white ball prospects, but he is still very young.

A lot then rides on Pollard for the batting, and while the likes of Ian Cockbain, Ben Duckett and Josh Cobb are established county players, how will they fare against some of the best bowlers in the world?

For the women, George has so much potential but is she over her injury problems? Bryony Smith has only played one ODI and three T20s for England, and similarly to Banton, she has a lot of potential but has only been on the fringes of the international side so far.