Salt goes into Welsh Fire’s new campaign having played a key role for England as an opening batter in their 4-0 T20 series win over India.

The Lancashire batter, who top scored in the third T20 with 70, has been a mainstay of white-ball English cricket since his debut in 2021.

Facing Pakistan in a one-day international in Cardiff made him the first Welshman to represent England since former Glamorgan pace bowler Simon Jones in 2005.

Salt, though, says his Welsh mum was not entirely comfortable with him pulling on the England shirt in the first place.

“Being a proud Welshman, but obviously representing England… sometimes it’s a bit of a grey area,” he mentioned.

“(Mum was) always very supportive, got behind the boys, but that’s about where it stops. I’ve got to be careful sometimes with how I word it.”

Sophie Munro, Phil Salt, Liv Barnes and a meerkat mascot walk across a pedestrian crossingImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Sophie Munro, Phil Salt, Liv Barnes and the Compare the Market mascot recreate The Beatles’ iconic Abbey Road walkout

Football Salt’s first calling

It is possible Salt might have ended with a red Welsh dragon on his shirt instead of three lions had he stuck to his first sporting love as a child.

“As I kid, I was more into my football than anything else – I played for Denbigh Town and Rhyl,” he mentioned.

“I was a very honest footballer, shall we say – sitting in the middle of the park, doing a lot of running – I wasn’t breaking any records.

“But I started playing cricket for North-East Wales Under-11s as an under-age player – that was like getting a ticket to a chocolate factory to me, it was unbelievable.

“Then I moved to Barbados and cricket kind of became the focus.

“Anytime the West Indies were playing in Barbados, we’d go and watch them.

“It’s ridiculous, the talent out there. They must produce the most cricketers in the world per square foot.”

A cricket scholarship in Surrey brought Salt back to the UK at 15, before a professional breakthrough at Sussex and then on to Lancashire and the Indian Premier League.

Fire no longer a slow burner?

Welsh Fire men's team in 2025Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Welsh Fire men’s and women’s teams both finished bottom in 2025

Top run scorer, twice a finalist: Salt certainly has pedigree in The Hundred.

The Welshman reached the final with Manchester Originals in 2022 and 2023 – but believes he can go one step further by sparking a dormant Welsh Fire into life.

The Cardiff-based team are the worst-performing franchise in the tournament’s short history, with both the men’s and women’s teams finishing rock bottom last year.

Neither side has won the tournament and the men are yet to reach the play-offs, but with tech billionaire Sanjay Govil buying a 50% share of the team for £40m there is hope that this year could be different.

“Historically, Welsh Fire haven’t done that well, they haven’t given fans much to get excited about, but I see this as a good opportunity to change things. It excites me,” mentioned Salt.

Speaking at a Compare the Market event for The Hundred, Salt mentioned the Sophia Gardens pitch, along with dressing room music from indie-rock band Blossoms, should be conducive to high run scoring.

Two other 2026 recruits – Glamorgan pair Ben Kellaway and Asa Tribe – will bring that local knowledge and a Welsh heartbeat to the team.

“We’ve got so much experience in the dressing room,” mentioned Salt.

“There’s been a lot of talk about the wicket – it looks like a really good place to play cricket when you look at the Glamorgan scores this season.

“We’ve got to start fast, and play lots of front-foot, aggressive cricket.

“Can we win the competition? Definitely. I don’t see why not.”

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