Lauren Filer made England debut against Australia in Women's Ashes Test at Trent Bridge; Western Storm fast bowler ended day one with two wickets, including vital scalp of Ellyse Perry for 99 - watch day two from 10.15am Friday, live on Sky Sports Cricket (11am start)
Friday 23 June 2023 12:11, UK
As debuts go, Lauren Filer's will go down in the dream category after the Western Storm fast bowler picked up two wickets, including the key scalp of Australia's Ellyse Perry for 99, on day one of the Women's Ashes Test at Trent Bridge.
Filer, who comes from a cricket-mad family, started her journey at Weston-super-Mare Cricket Club alongside twin sister Jodie, who with mum and dad, Elaine and Martyn, were all in Nottingham to watch the 22-year-old presented with her England cap by captain Heather Knight ahead of play on Thursday morning.
Filer got the nod over Issy Wong, having taken eight wickets in four matches in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy in 2023 and five in the Charlotte Edwards Cup, with Knight observing in the build-up to the Test match.
Knight said: "She's a real impact bowler, I guess she's a bit of an unknown, but she bowls wicket-taking deliveries and for me she's one of the quickest, if not the quickest bowler in the country. She's got skills, can move the ball both ways and ultimately we need a team that's going to take 20 wickets."
Head coach Jon Lewis also praised the speedster as a "genuine wicket-taking threat with good pace and swing" and offering a "point of difference".
It did not take long for Filer, who only turned fully professional in October 2022, to prove her coach's assessment correct after replacing Sophie Ecclestone at the Radcliffe Road End 40 minutes before lunch.
The fast bowler's first ball nipped back to strike Perry on the pads and, after a long wait, the umpire raised her finger to spark scenes of jubilation on the field of play, as well as in the stands.
That joy was short-lived as Perry called for a review, which showed a slight inside edge to deny Filer the perfect debut, before her next ball comprehensively beat the batter outside off stump. Her third delivery almost produced a catch in the gully.
"She has suddenly lifted this England team. Whenever she comes on to bowl, you want to watch. It is nice to see pace in the women's game and she does have a really good short ball. She was not overawed by the big occasion," said Charlotte Edwards. Nick Knight also praised Filer's impressive "control", likening her bowling action to that of the late Bob Willis.
That eventful first over was the quickest ever recorded by an English bowler in a women's Test match since records began and with just her 18th ball, and with 20 minutes until lunch, the debutant struck as Beth Mooney - the No 1-ranked ODI batter in the world - forced off the back foot to be smartly caught by fellow pacer Kate Cross in the gully.
Again, it was Filer's extra pace and bounce that drew the mistake from the left-handed opener, who had looked rock solid prior to the debutant's introduction, with her five overs before lunch producing impressive figures of 1-16 as she hit top speeds of 76mph. Even the classy Perry was clearly discomforted at times.
Filer was given just four more overs in the rain-interrupted afternoon session as Knight sensibly held the youngster back, not wanting to overwork her, but instead using her in short, sharp spells when really needed.
However, when she was called upon, Filer's pace and steepling bounce immediately caused the two set batters, Perry and Tahlia McGrath, more problems once again, with the latter edging through a vacant first-slip area.
Maybe it was that hurry up which helped produce the wicket of McGrath in the next over, bowled by a beauty from Sophie Ecclestone, before Filer's extra speed also clearly troubled Jess Jonassen at the start of her innings.
Former New Zealand swing bowler Simon Doull clearly liked what he saw, saying on Sky Sports: "A little bit raw, with good things to work with, she has good hustle into the crease, quite strong. You can iron some of these things out, but the one thing you can't coach is pace."
When play did finally resume at 5.07pm, a refreshed Filer, in tandem with an inspired Ecclestone, struck again to get the key wicket of Perry for 99, well caught by Nat Sciver-Brunt high above her head in the gully as the tourists lost three wickets for just 12 runs after the rain delay.
Having got rid of the dangerous Perry, though, Knight once again wasted little time in whipping her young charge out of the attack after just three overs, with the debutant having done her job.
However, when to bowl the "exciting" Filer, and for how long, will be a thorny issue for Knight going forward in this match, says Isa Guha.
"It's a difficult one to know when to bring her on," the former England international told Sky Sports. "That will be an interesting point for the rest of this Test match - how England use Filer - because she has absolutely been the pick of the pace bowlers.
"No one really knew what to expect. We knew she was raw, we knew she was pacey, but the way she has handled the occasion has been the most impressive thing.
"She came in and, with her very first ball, almost extracted one of the greatest there has ever been [in Perry]. She is causing some concern there, pretty much every ball. I'm really excited about her future."
"She came in and, with her very first ball, almost extracted one of the greatest there has ever been [in Perry]. She is causing some concern pretty much every ball. She is just loving being out there, loving the opportunity. I'm really excited about her future."
Already, even after just one day of Test cricket, Filer seems destined for a bright international future. It was certainly a first appearance for England the bowler will not forget in a hurry either.
"I really enjoyed it. It was a completely different experience. I have never really played longer-format cricket - three days is the longest I have played - but it is going well so far. The last spell was a bit of a struggle!
"Until this morning, it didn't really kick in. People kept asking whether I was nervous and I was like, 'no, not really'. I was when I got on the pitch! The first five overs were quite shaky. I was not expecting it, it has been a bit of a whirlwind.
"For me it's about bowling fast and straight with the bounce I do get. I think that is what England wanted. It's basically what I have been told to do. I definitely put on a bit of pace over the winter."
Watch day two of the Women's Ashes Test live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.15am on Friday.
