NICK HOWSON takes a look at Phoenix's player recruitment and suggests what more needs to be done before the start of the new season
Who has been retained?
What remains is the core of the side they got all the way to Lord's last August before falling at the final hurdle.
Chris Benjamin's breakthrough last season - 112 runs at 37.33 - earns him a second season and alongside Will Smeed makes up part of a young and fresh top-order.
Few sides have reconfirmed overseas players for 2022, but that Adam Milne is among them is no surprise. The express New Zealand paceman was the top wicket-taker with 12 and offers that option at either end of the innings.
Of those who can count themselves fortunate, currently injured Tom Abell only played one match last term while Henry Brookes is back having been ruled out on the eve of the tournament through injury.
Liam Livingstone (Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Who has been released?
Kane Williamson, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Adam Zampa never joined up last summer and have been dispensed with.
Having secured a Blast deal with Middlesex, Shaheen is the most likely of those to be available in the draft.
Imran Tahir claimed 10 wickets last term including a hat-trick but misses out, having also failed to win an IPL deal. He'll be 43 when the competition starts.
Finn Allen (165 runs at 20.62) had a decent 2021 campaign but is probably a victim of the increased number of available overseas players.
Tom Helm was the most expensive of the Phoenix attack, conceding an average of 2.04 runs a delivery while it isn't a huge surprise to see the back of Dillon Pennington, Daniel Bell-Drummond and Chris Cooke after they played just 10 games between them.
Pat Brown (George Wood/Getty Images)
What will be the main focus of the draft?
Last season's runners-up have the penultimate pick in the opening round of the draft, but with berths in the top two salary bands. Their remains spots are at £60,000, £50,000 and £30,000.
There will have to be a focus on the bowling attack following the exit of Tahir, even with Moeen Ali and Liam Livingstone available for the duration of the tournament.
Bar Milne, there is a lack of depth in the pace battery too. Benny Howell was more than useful last term, taking 11 wickets with an economy rate of 1.20.
Adding some more experience in the top three - and another left-handed option - would be useful too. Of those allowed to depart, bringing back Pat Brown in the hope he recaptures his Worcestershire Blast form from 2019 feels like a decent bet.
Squad: Chris Woakes, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Adam Milne, Benny Howell, Tom Abell, Will Smeed, Chris Benjamin, Miles Hammond, Henry Brookes (10)
Overseas players: 1
Spaces to fill: 7
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