Shane Bond sacked by Birmingham Phoenix after rock-bottom finish
Published: Oct 7, 2026, 7:33 AM (20 mins ago)
Shane Bond speaks to his Birmingham Phoenix squad during the 2026 season • Nathan Stirk/ECB via Getty Images
Shane Bond has lost his job as Birmingham Phoenix coach halfway through a two-year contract, Cricinfo has learned.
Bond, who has over a decade of coaching experience at the IPL, was appointed men's head coach last November on a deal that ran until the end of the 2027 season. But after Phoenix finished last in the men's Hundred, winning their opening game before embarking on a seven-match losing streak, their management decided that a change was necessary.
Bond confirmed his departure to Cricinfo on Wednesday. He said that while he was "obviously really disappointed" not to see out his contract, he accepted that the team's results had not been good enough.
There was some extenuation for those results, with Jacob Bethell - their captain and highest-paid player - and overseas fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman both ruled out through injury shortly before the start of the tournament. Several lucrative signings, such as Rehan Ahmed, Donovan Ferreira, Mitchell Owen and Saqib Mahmood, also underperformed.
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But Cricinfo has learned that the dressing-room became increasingly acrimonious as the losing streak wore on. It is understood that Bond lost the support of some players and staff, and he is said to have made clear that he was unhappy with the team environment.
After a recent end-of-season review, Phoenix's management - led by Warwickshire director of cricket James Thomas - decided to make a change ahead of the 2027 season.
Phoenix will aim to act swiftly in identifying a successor, with the Hundred's player retention window due to open next Friday. Potential candidates could include former Warwickshire players Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell, not least after the franchise were criticised for a lack of local flavour in their men's squad this season.
Phoenix have never won either the men's or women's Hundred, and finished bottom of the combined 'Helix' standings in 2026. They are now run jointly by US investment fund Knighthead Capital and Warwickshire, while England and Real Madrid footballer Jude Bellingham is a minority investor.
Warwickshire had a disappointing season in white-ball cricket more broadly, failing to reach the knockout stages of any men's or women's competition. But the club have spent the past 10 days celebrating after the men's team won their ninth County Championship title, winning five of their final six games in the run-in to seal the trophy.
Matt Roller is a senior correspondent at Cricinfo. @mroller98
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