Jason Roy replaces Faf du Plessis in Hundred at Southern Brave

Jason Roy has returned to form for Surrey and secured a replacement contract in The Hundred, stepping in for the injured Faf du Plessis at Southern Brave. du Plessis, who had signed a £78,500 direct deal, has withdrawn from the competition to undergo groin surgery after an injury he sustained during the IPL.

Roy, a key figure in Oval Invincibles’ title-winning campaign in 2023, has had a mixed run in The Hundred overall. Across three seasons, he has averaged 19.55 with a strike rate of 132.09. Last year, he was handed a lifeline by Andrew Flintoff’s Northern Superchargers after initially going unpicked in the draft, but a shoulder injury ruled him out of the competition.

The 33-year-old went undrafted again earlier this year despite setting a reserve price of £63,000. However, Roy has rediscovered his form in the ongoing T20 Blast for Surrey. He began the season with three half-centuries in his first five innings. While his form has tapered off slightly, his overall return of 301 runs at a strike rate of 141.98 has been enough to earn a place back in The Hundred.

Du Plessis, a marquee signing ahead of March’s draft, had been representing Texas Super Kings in the Major League Cricket (MLC), but has identified The Hundred window as the ideal time for his groin surgery. Du Plessis also plays for Delhi Capitals, the IPL franchise co-owned by Southern Brave’s owners, GMR Group.

Roy’s signing was finalised ahead of the upcoming wildcard draft on Tuesday, where each team will select two male and female players each, based largely on their recent T20 Blast performances. One big name in contention is James Anderson, who has never played in The Hundred but has taken 13 wickets in six matches for Lancashire, marking his return to T20 cricket after 11 years.

Southern Brave are also monitoring the fitness of Finn Allen, who suffered a foot injury during the MLC and has been ruled out of New Zealand’s upcoming T20I tri-series in Zimbabwe. Allen, who scored 240 runs in nine innings for Southern Brave in 2023, was retained on a £52,000 deal earlier this year despite missing last season with a toe injury.

The Southern Brave were runners-up last season and have retained the core of their squad, with James Vince set to continue as captain. They also have a new head coach in Adi Birrell, who replaces Stephen Fleming for the 2025 season.

In the women’s competition, left-arm wrist spinner Millie Taylor has signed with Birmingham Phoenix as an injury replacement for Charis Paveley, who has withdrawn due to a foot injury. Taylor, whose twin sister Mary plays for Hampshire and Southern Brave, has claimed 15 wickets in the T20 Blast this season and will make her debut in The Hundred.