Welsh Fire move on from Gary Kirsten

The former South Africa opener led the team to three victories in 16 matches in the men's Hundred, including a winless 2022

Welsh Fire are searching for a new head coach following the departure of Gary Kirsten after two years at the helm.

After three wins resulted in a seventh-place finish in the inaugural season, a winless campaign meant the Cardiff-based franchise ended rock bottom of the men's Hundred table in 2022.

The team have begun the search for a replacement ahead of the 2023 season, which will be played in a four-week window in August.

A statement added: "Everyone involved with Welsh Fire would like to express their thanks to Gary for his contribution and efforts over the past two years."

^{Bairstow has not represented Fire since July 2021 (Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)}

Mark Alleyne, Jason Kerr and Matthew Maynard were all among the coaching team at Sophia Gardens last season.

Kirsten, a previous candidate to lead England men, has enjoyed a stellar coaching career with roles at India, South Africa, Hobart Hurricanes, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Gujarat Titans.

But three wins in 16 matches is the worst return by any men's Hundred side across the tournament's two editions.

Central to Fire's failure to threaten the playoff places in either season was the absence of captain Jonny Bairstow, who was recalled to the England Test side in 2021 before opting to skip the competition last summer.

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