Fleming set to coach Southern Brave's men's side in the Hundred

Stephen Fleming is set to replace Mahela Jayawardene as Southern Brave's men's head coach in the Hundred.

ESPNcricinfo revealed this week that Jayawardene's promotion from head coach to head of global performance at Mumbai Indians had prompted him to step down from his position in the Hundred, and Brave have moved quickly to secure a successor.

Fleming, the former New Zealand captain, has won four IPL titles with Chennai Super Kings and is widely regarded as one of the leading short-form coaches around the world. He attended the Hundred's inaugural draft in 2019 and was due to coach Trent Rockets, but stepped down ahead of the first season due to international travel restrictions and quarantine requirements.

It's understood that Fleming has agreed a deal with Brave for the 2023 season, which is likely to be announced next week.

New Zealand's international schedule is clear during the next two seasons of the Hundred and a number of their leading players are expected to be involved in the competition - particularly in 2023, with a white-ball tour of England scheduled immediately after the Hundred's conclusion in late August.

Fleming will have the option to retain Finn Allen, who was contracted by Brave in 2022 but did not play a game due to international commitments, while his compatriots Devon Conway and Colin de Grandhomme both had spells at Brave during their title-winning 2021 season.

Adam Milne, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips and Ish Sodhi could all return, having appeared in the tournament's first two seasons, while the ECB will hope Trent Boult registered for the draft as a potential top-bracket signing.

Retention regulations for the 2023 season of the men's Hundred have not yet been released publicly, but it is understood that teams will have the option to retain a significant proportion of their squads from last season, as they did in 2022.

The fixtures for next season have not been announced, but according to a recent draft seen by ESPNcricinfo, Brave are set to play defending men's champions Rockets at Trent Bridge on the opening night on August 1, with their first home game against Welsh Fire on August 4. The final is due to be played on August 27.

Fire finally confirmed Gary Kirsten's departure as head coach this week and the vacancy has been formally advertised. Applications for the role close next Friday and David Saker, who recently worked with England's T20I squad in Pakistan and Australia, is expected to be among the contenders.