Jason Roy has been handed an unexpected route back into the Hundred, filling the gap left by Faf du Plessis at Southern Brave after the South African opted for groin surgery.
Southern Brave confirmed on Friday that du Plessis, 40, withdrew from his £78,500 deal in order to “get the operation done while there’s a clear window”. The former Proteas captain picked up the injury during the IPL and has been managing it ever since. “Long term it’s the sensible call,” Brave coach Adi Birrell said. “We’d obviously rather have Faf on the park, but the surgery is unavoidable.”
That decision reopened a door for Roy, whose name went uncalled in March’s draft despite a £63,000 reserve price. The Surrey batter, 35 later this month, has quietly pieced together a solid T20 Blast campaign: 301 runs, strike-rate 141.98, mostly at No. 3 after a decade opening the innings. “I’ve tried to simplify things,” he told BBC Radio London last week. “Bat a bit deeper, stay calmer, hit straight. So far, so good.”
Roy’s Hundred numbers are modest—average 19.55, strike-rate 132 across three seasons—yet Brave value the extra power he brings inside the first ten balls. Captain James Vince welcomed the deal: “Jason’s record for England speaks for itself. If he plays with the freedom we know he can, we’re in a great spot.”
Timing proved crucial. The replacement was registered before Tuesday’s ‘wildcard’ draft, when each franchise can add two men’s and two women’s players based on Blast form. Lancashire seamer James Anderson, 42, is among those hoping for a first Hundred contract after 13 wickets in six T20s.
Brave have other fitness concerns. New Zealand opener Finn Allen injured a foot at Major League Cricket and was ruled out of his country’s upcoming tri-series in Zimbabwe. Medical staff remain “cautiously optimistic” he will be ready for the Hundred opener, though Birrell admitted contingency plans are being discussed.
Last season Brave finished runners-up, retaining the bulk of that group. Birrell, who has replaced Stephen Fleming as head coach, insists continuity is key. “The core is settled. A tweak here and there—Jason fits that brief—and we’re competitive again,” he said.
Women’s update
Birmingham Phoenix have moved quickly to cover their own injury blow, signing left-arm wrist-spinner Millie Taylor for her first taste of the Hundred. Charis Paveley withdrew with a foot problem. Taylor, twin sister of Southern Brave all-rounder Mary, has 15 Blast wickets in 2025 and impressed Phoenix selector Ben Smith. “We’ve tracked Millie for a while,” he noted. “She gives us variety and bravery in the middle overs.”
Looking ahead
The men’s competition begins on 23 July; Brave host London Spirit in Southampton. Roy is expected to slot into the top order, though whether that is at three—his recent county role—or alongside Vince up front remains undecided. “I’ll bat wherever the team needs,” Roy said. “The main thing is turning starts into match-winning scores, something I feel ready to do again.”
It has been a winding 18 months for the World Cup-winning opener: a shoulder injury cost him last summer, his central England contract ended, and his draft stock dipped. Now he returns with a point to prove, albeit without the fanfare of previous seasons. As Roy put it, “Cricket’s never a straight line. Sometimes you just keep the head down, score runs and see where it takes you.”
