The Hundred: Chris Cooke and Luke Wells added to Welsh Fire squad
- Published
Chris Cooke has experience of the Hundred having played for Birmingham Phoenix two years ago
Glamorgan wicketkeeper Chris Cooke and Lancashire all-rounder Luke Wells have been added to the Welsh Fire men's squad for the Hundred.
Cooke, who played for Birmingham Phoenix in 2021, is the second Glamorgan player involved in this year's tournament, alongside Dan Douthwaite.
He and Wells have been selected as wildcard picks after the T20 Blast.
"It was a nice surprise," said Cooke who scored 419 runs in the competition.
"It's always strange missing competitions for Glamorgan but it should be fun, I'm looking forward to getting stuck in and contributing," added the South Africa-born player who has been playing for the Welsh county since 2011.
"It's great to be here, I see Wales as my home so it's nice to represent the Welsh team and hopefully we'll have a few packed houses.
"It's nice to have Dan involved as a team-mate as well, Birmingham was great but there were no other Glammy players so it's nice to be home especially with Dan as well."
Cooke has a T20 average of 38 with a strike-rate of 171 and struck his first T20 century away to Middlesex off only 41 balls.
Left-handed batter Wells, 32, hit 216 runs and took 10 wickets with his leg-spin for Lancashire.
Wells said "I'm absolutely honoured to have been given this opportunity at Welsh Fire, one I wouldn't have dreamed of a few years ago."
The Cardiff men's franchise lost all eight matches in 2022 after winning three in the inaugural year of the competition, with only six of last year's squad retained under new coach Mike Hussey, the former Australia batter.
"There've been some changes, Mike Hussey has been in touch, he seems pretty switched-on and it'll be great to work under him," Cooke told BBC Sport Wales.
"We've got a decent squad so hopefully it'll be better than the last few years."
The Welsh Fire women's additions include batter Emily Windsor, who struck the winning runs for Oval Invincibles in the 2022 final and is a regular BBC broadcaster.
She is joined by ex-Southern Brave batter Ella McCaughan, off-spinner Georgia Davis from Trent Rockets, and all-rounder Kate Coppack, an 18 year old newcomer to the tournament who was born in Chester and grew up in Hawarden.
Meanwhile Welsh spinner Sophia Smale remains with Oval Invincibles after a successful first season, while her England under 19s colleague, Wrexham-born wicketkeeper Seren Smale, gets a first chance at Southampton-based Southern Brave.
Both Welsh Fire men and women start at home to Manchester Originals on Wednesday, 2 August.