How Edwards builds a squad to win The Hundred

It was third time lucky for Charlotte Edwards and Southern Brave in 2023.

After defeat in the Lord’s final the previous two years, Brave finally got over the line to win The Hundred women’s competition.

A year on and Edwards is plotting Brave’s title defence with their opening match against London Spirit on 24 July fast approaching.

But getting to this point and putting together a squad capable of challenging for a trophy takes months of planning.

As soon as the process for retaining players from the previous tournament is confirmed, that came in November for this year’s Hundred, the planning begins in earnest.

"We look at how we’re going to put the team together and how we retain the players - hopefully they accept their offers – which is the first process for me," Edwards told BBC Sport.

"Once I get those players locked in then the next phase kicks in. I was very lucky this year because we had a gap at our top end with Anya [Shrubsole] retiring, which meant I could move most players up.

"Everyone felt happier and they were getting paid more money so I felt very fortunate that it all fell into place."

Edwards also coaches Mumbai Indians in India's Women's Premier League and Sydney Sixers in Australia's Women's Big Bash League, so is becoming increasingly familiar with the various draft systems and auctions in franchise cricket.

"I had many nights in India where I had not much to do so was trying to put a strategy together, " she said.

"I drive a lot of the player recruitment, along with our analyst, who will back up a lot of my decisions.

"I obviously know the skeleton of the team I want and they will give me the numbers about positions and which players will be available."

Analytics are playing an ever-increasing role in cricket but that is just one element to be factored in as the former England captain goes about shaping her squad.

"The way I work, I like to have players that I know - hence why we’ve picked Lauren Cheatle up, she’s with me at the Sydney Sixers.

"You know what you’re going to get, you don’t need to spend the first two weeks trying to integrate that player, they know how you operate... so you feel like it will be quite a seamless transition into our squad."

Similarly, bringing back India batter Smriti Mandhana was a big priority for Brave at March's draft.

But for a coach involved in so many competitions throughout the year, that approach can lead to some awkward situations.

"The most difficult thing is explaining to the players that you might have them in one team but you won’t need them in the next," Edwards said.

"That’s the conversational side of it that you’ve got to have with these players to say :‘Just because I’ve not taken you at Mumbai Indians doesn’t mean I don’t rate you’.

"Each team has a different balance to it because of the domestic players that you’ve got.

"It’s important that the players don’t take it personally. That you’re doing what’s right for the team you’re looking after at that time.

"The first couple of years with the Brave, a lot of the Southern Vipers players [who Edwards also coaches] got upset that I wasn’t using them in this team, but I had good, honest conversations with them.

"I contacted all the players from last year about why they’ve not been picked in the draft because that communication side and explaining myself is really important.

"You want that respect with the player moving forward. I don’t try and dodge hard conversations because part of my job is to explain myself and justify certain decisions."

No matter how much care is taken, or planning goes into it, the nature of the draft means teams have to be adaptable and ready to change course as events transpire.

"It’s also about other teams and trying to figure out what their plan is. That is the bit I love about it.

"I got it a little bit wrong early doors, I wasn’t expecting [Meg] Lanning to go to London Spirit. I was thinking she was going to go to Oval Invincibles and be part of the Delhi Capitals [Jonathan Batty coaches both] but at the Oval.

"There are a few curveballs but that is what’s great about a draft."

What is clear is that those who were selected at the draft can be sure Edwards and her team have a plan for how they fit into the squad, both on and off the field.

"I look at their numbers but, equally, I will ring around a lot of people to make sure they’re a good person and will fit how we operate as the Brave group," she said.

"I like to hear everyone’s opinions but, ultimately, it’s on my head so I like to make the final call and make sure we’ve got the right balance of team.

"That’s the most important thing in this type of cricket. Making sure you’ve got options with the ball, depth with the bat and you’ve got a good fielding team – and good people."

Four months on from the draft, the work that goes into building a winning squad is over.

All that's left now for Brave is the small matter of putting Edwards' plan into action out in the middle.