The Hundred 2022 | Gus Atkinson and Tom Helm signed as replacements

With the second edition of The Hundred Men's competition fast approaching, the respective teams announced many signings and replacements.

On June 10 (Friday), the experienced English domestic players Gus Atkinson and Tom Helm were announced as the replacements for Saqib Mahmood and Matthew Fisher, respectively. However, the players have been ruled out of the 2022 season due to stress fractures.

In the last season, Helm picked up five wickets in seven appearances for Birmingham Phoenix and conceded 2.04 runs per ball. However, he was not retained ahead of the 2022 edition and has been brought back by the team. Fisher had played a single fixture for Northern Superchargers and then joined Phoenix. 

He made his Test debut earlier this year against the West Indies. However, the talented pacer injured himself in the first County Championship fixture against Gloucestershire. 

Craig Flindall, Phoenix's general manager, was disappointed with Fisher's injury but was pleased to resign Helm. 

"Whilst we're naturally disappointed to lose Matt Fisher, we're very pleased to have re-signed a talented pace bowler who we know well in Tom Helm," said Craig Flindall. 

On the other hand, Mahmood took five wickets for Oval Invincibles and gave 1.44 runs per ball. Mahmood played a single game in the 2022 edition of the County Championship but was ruled out of the remaining matches due to a back injury. 

His replacement, Atkinson, was a part of the Southern Brave last year but could not form a part of the Playing XI. However, he has picked up 22 wickets in 17 T20 appearances. The youngster last featured in the T20 format in the 2021 edition of Vitality Blast for Surrey against Gloucestershire. 

He recently played a solitary County fixture against Northants, scored 66 runs, and picked up three wickets. Atkinson has not yet featured in T20 Blast due to enough pace options like Sam Curran and Reece Topley but is expected to be back when both the players for international duties next week. 

In Thursday's wildcard draft, each team in the Hundred men's and women's tournament signed an extra overseas player.