Who are the key players? How did they do last year? Where are they strong? Where might they be weak? Key questions answered ahead of the new T20 Blast campaign
Coach: Mark Robinson
Captain: Will Rhodes
Last season: Third in Central Group
How did they do last year?
The Bears finished third in a seemingly open Central Group, missing out on both an automatic berth and a place as one of the best third-placed sides based on net run-rate.
They lost a virtual qualifier to Northamptonshire Steelbacks in their final game, failing to defend 192 at Edgbaston - an inexplicable result in the cold light of day having reduced the visitors to 71 for 6 in the chase.
Though it is easy to focus on that straight shoot-out, other areas of the campaign played a role in the Bears having a watching brief come the knock-out stage. The successive heavy defeats to table-toppers Gloucestershire - by 57 and 50 runs respectively - hurt their net run-rate, which would prove to be critical.
And while all six sides were beset by issues with inclement weather, particularly at the start of the campaign, the abandoned clash with Somerset was a key moment that was out of their hands.
Nevertheless, under new leadership, there is reason to believe that many of last term's positive aspects can be built upon.
Who are their key players?
Mark Robinson will look to white-ball gun Sam Hain to provide them with stability and explosiveness throughout the innings. He has been the linchpin of the side for a number of years now but last season was his most fruitful yet, averaging in the 50s for the first time. Sitting just 208 runs behind Ian Bell as the team's leading run-scorer in the format, if last term's return is any indicator that record will surely go this summer.
Olly Stone's 14 scalps last term saw him as the Bears' premier wicket-taker but England will dictate the timing of his availability. The onus will be on Henry Brookes to provide the main pace threat, with Tim Bresnan experienced medium-pacers providing support.
Robinson does have a fine spin battery to call upon, following the retirement of Jeetan Patel.
Jake Lintott won plenty of plaudits thanks to his tricky left-arm leg-spin which yielded 10 wickets at an economy rate of just 6.30 in nine matches, giving the Bears a genuine trump card.
Add the Blast's record wicket-taker in Danny Briggs to the mix and there is some genuine fire and balance in the attack.
Which Carlos Brathwaite will turn up?
What are their biggest strengths?
If all fit and available, a bowling attack of Stone, Brookes, Bresnan, Briggs and Lintott will be hard to rival.
Since arriving from Sussex, former England spinner Briggs has finally settled in Birmingham and played a role in the Championship win over Nottinghamshire to firmly embed him within the dressing room.
And having spent the winter at the Big Bash League with Adelaide Strikers playing regularly against a high-calibre opponent in batter-friendly conditions, which even for a veteran of nearly 200 T20s was another string to an impressive-looking bow, he'll be as threatening as ever.
Briggs sits 224th in the T20 Player Index, just one place behind fellow Englishman Matt Parkinson of North Group rivals Lancashire.
Where might they have a weakness?
In a strange quirk to the fixture list, Bears don't play a home fixture until the June 18 visit of Lancashire with their first five matches all on the road. While that run is flipped later in the competition, this short and sharp window demands that teams get off to good starts. It is something certainly worth considering when we get underway.
All counties have struggled with securing overseas signings. Pieter Malan and Hanuma Vihari were enlisted for the red-ball, with Carlos Brathwaite at the time of writing the sole T20 signing.
Five years on from Kolkata and Ben Stokes, the West Indies allrounder is a shadow of the player from that T20 World Cup final.
An expensive medium-pacer who fills in the overs and an unspectacular lower-order batter; he could end up blocking the path for a domestic player due to the Bears' obligation to play him.
It would be unfair to ignore his BBL form for 2020-21 champions Sydney Sixers, for whom he grabbed 16 wickets.
And a century and four scalps in a warm-up game against Glamorgan is a sign there is still something there, but that performance in a virtual second XI tune-up requires context.
What are their chances of reaching Finals Day?
Since their rebirth as Birmingham Bears in 2014 (when they last won the competition) the West Midlands side has failed to go past the group stage on four occasions, making finals day three times and progressed beyond the semis twice.
However, the last three seasons has produced a barren run. The draw does not present the same path into the last eight as last season did - which should be a barometer in itself.
Possible XI: Robert Yates, Adam Hose, Will Rhodes (c), Sam Hain, Michael Burgess (wk), Carlos Brathwaite, Tim Bresnan, Henry Brookes, Olly Stone, Danny Briggs, Jake Lintott
Fixtures: June 10 - Yorkshire (a); June 11 - Nottinghamshire (a); June 13 - Derbyshire (a); June 15 - Northamptonshire (a); June 16 - Leicestershire (a); June 18 - Lancashire (h); June 20 - Durham (a); June 24 - Derbyshire (h); June 26 - Durham (h); June 30 - Yorkshire (h); July 2 - Nottinghamshire (h); July 9 - Worcestershire (a); July 16 - Worcestershire (h); July 18 - Northamptonshire (h)
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