Lauren Filer has been in striking form for England this summer but is looking at making improvements to her action this winter which could help her bowl even quicker.

One of the fastest women’s bowlers around, Filer rose to prominence as she was selected for an England debut in the lone Ashes Test, justifying her inclusion with four wickets, including Ellyse Perry twice.

Her extra pace and bounce put a number of Australia batters on alert and it has been a similar theme in the ongoing ODI series against Sri Lanka, where she has claimed five wickets in her first two matches.

But the 22-year-old is not resting on her laurels and, while upping her speed is not a priority, some technical tweaks she intends to work on could have the knock-on effect of her becoming even more brisk.

“I know I can definitely bowl quicker,” she told the PA news agency. “I think there’s a few things to work on in the winter that will probably help me do that.

“I jump quite high so I probably need to go more forward in my bound so all the momentum is going forward. Hopefully everything is going a bit quicker so everything comes out a little bit quicker.

“But being quicker is not the main aim, it’s something that’s there and if it happens, it happens, and if it doesn’t, it doesn’t. I’m not too worried about that, I just want to bowl the best for the team.

“I feel like the role that I have, I really enjoy doing. Taking wickets is something I’m trying to do every ball. It’s nice to be able to contribute.”

Filer’s influence and what she brings to the team have seen her labelled a “massive crowd favourite” by England captain Heather Knight.

“I’m trying not to think too much of the outside noise, just thinking about what I want to do and how I’m going to impact the game,” Filer said.

“It’s always nice to have the crowd’s backing and clapping you when you’re running in, it boosts yourself to bowl even quicker.”

Filer’s immediate focus is on England’s final assignment of a memorable summer in the third ODI against Sri Lanka, who will be looking to level the series at Grace Road on Thursday.

The tourists, who a claimed a shock win in the preceding T20 series, were spared by rain on Tuesday after lurching to 106 for nine, the same total they were bowled out for in Saturday’s series opener.

Filer claimed a couple of wickets in Northampton, including setting up Harshitha Samarawickrama with bouncers before tempting the Sri Lanka number three with a fuller delivery which she edged behind.

“My natural length is always going to be a bit back of a length so the fuller ball is probably the surprise ball, rather than the other way around,” Filer said.

“I get bounce with my height but if the pitch helps me as well, it gives that extra threat. People are probably just a little more wary of the bounce that I can get.

“It’s something I want to try to use as much as possible because I know there’s probably not a lot of it about in the women’s game. It’s a tool in my tool box.”

While two polished collective bowling displays have subdued Sri Lanka, Filer remains wary of the threat the tourists possess.

“We just want to end the summer on a high,” Filer added. “We had a convincing win over them in the first T20 and they bounced back really well. I wouldn’t take anything for granted.”

Lauren Filer made a crucial double breakthrough for England but Australia stretched their lead to 167 in the one-off Women’s Ashes Test at Trent Bridge.

Cross atoned for dropping Phoebe Litchfield minutes into the fourth morning by uprooting the off-stump of the Australia opener, out leaving for the second time in the match on her Test bow.

England debutant Filer, meanwhile, accounted for the highly-rated Ellyse Perry and then took out the leg stump of Tahlia McGrath, but Beth Mooney’s unbeaten 73 helped to lift Australia to 157 for three.

Mooney put on 99 with Litchfield (46) and 50 with Perry (25) and was the beneficiary of being dropped on 55 as Nat Sciver-Brunt, having only bowled five overs in the first innings before a sore knee, spilled a difficult return catch with her first delivery in Australia’s second dig.

Despite Tammy Beaumont’s historic double century on Saturday, Australia had edged ahead through Mooney and Litchfield, who outlined her intentions on the penultimate morning with an uppish drive at Sophie Ecclestone. She was reprieved after Cross spilled a simple waist-high chance at extra cover.

Cross required strapping on her left thumb but was able to continue bowling, and the England seamer’s drop proved not to be too costly as she got a delivery to jag back alarmingly towards Litchfield, who offered no shot and lost her off stump.

There was movement and spin in sunny and blustery conditions but England were largely unable to take advantage. Mooney offered a sharp caught and bowled chance after passing 50 but Sciver-Brunt could not cling on in her follow-through despite getting both hands to the ball.

Heather Knight’s off-spin drew the outside edge of Perry on 21 but the ball flew between wicketkeeper and slip, but the talismanic Australia all-rounder’s luck ran out soon after as, leaning back and shaping to cut, she merely inside edged on to her stumps.

Cheered on by the Nottingham crowd, Filer struck in her next over as a fuller, pacy delivery proved too much for McGrath, whose leg stump was flattened, in a second successive wicket maiden for the England youngster.

Lauren Filer was beaming but exhausted after a memorable England debut in which she claimed the prized wicket of Australia linchpin Ellyse Perry on the opening day of the Women’s Ashes.

Filer lived up to her billing as a pacy threat, unsettling Australia’s batters from the off as she made an instant impact by thudding one into the pads of Perry with her first delivery in international cricket.

Perry, on 10 at the time, overturned the decision on review and went on to make a sparkling 99 for her fifth 50-plus score in 10 Tests against England, but a ton went begging as she nailed Filer to gully.

Filer also snared another dangerous batter in Beth Mooney to finish an eventful opening day of the multi-format series with two for 65 as Australia went to stumps on 328 for seven at Trent Bridge.

“I definitely enjoyed it,” the 22-year-old said. “It was a bit of a surreal experience. But it was a good day. I’m a bit tired now.

“I get brought on to bowl quickly and try to keep the pace up and keep charging in. I knew I wasn’t going to be on very long so was just trying to take advantage of the balls I did have.

“I just tried to focus on myself and tried to bowl quick and bring attacking bowling into the team. I tried to keep all the external bits out and focus on myself.

“It was obviously really good news (when she found out she would play). It’s weird – I didn’t feel too bad until five minutes before we were on the pitch. When I fielded my first ball I settled down a bit.”

Filer thought she had made the dream start to life with England as the umpire’s finger went up after her first ball, but Perry’s use of DRS was vindicated as replays detected an inside edge on to her pads.

“When it hit the pads I was just screaming,” Filer added. “I did hear two noises, but I thought it was pad first. Obviously it wasn’t out, but it was a good confidence boost to get into my spell.”

Filer was given the nod over Issy Wong and came in for glowing praise from Perry, whose Test batting average climbed into high 70s in her 11th match following the standout knock on the first of five days.

“I had a really great tussle with Filer the whole time,” Perry said. “I thought she has extremely impressive on debut and brought the game alive at different points.”

Sophie Ecclestone was also a class apart as England’s sole frontline spinner, finishing with figures of 31-6-71-3, which included two wickets in three balls during a mammoth spell of 28 consecutive openers.

Following a near two-hour rain delay, Ecclestone led England’s fightback by snaring Jess Jonassen and then bowling Australia captain Alyssa Healy for a two-ball duck, having earlier found a hint of turn to clip the off-stump of Tahlia McGrath, who contributed a Test-best 61 in a 119-run union with Perry.

“She’s a bit of a bowling machine,” Filer said, after she and England’s other seamers went at more than four an over.
“Bowling for two hours is pretty impressive, I’ve never really seen anyone do that.

“She makes the bowlers at the other end comfortable doing what they’re doing because she goes for nothing. If I go for four or a couple of boundaries I know that she’s got my back at the other end.”

Australia fell from 202 for two to 238 for six after Perry’s dismissal but rebuilt through Ashleigh Gardner’s 40 and an unbeaten 39 from Annabel Sutherland to get past 300.

Asked about her downfall one run short of three figures, Perry was pragmatic as she said: “Sometimes things just go that way, it’s hard to be disappointed.

“There’s not really much to dwell on there, it’s just like any other time you get out – it’s a bit of a bummer but gosh the game goes on and life goes on for sure.”

Sophie Ecclestone and the debuting Lauren Filer took top billing as England mounted a fightback after Ellyse Perry’s excellent 99 at the outset of the Women’s Ashes.

Perry reversed an lbw verdict on 10 off Filer’s first ball at international level and amassed her fifth 50-plus score in 10 Tests against England, who rallied after tea and a near two-hour rain delay.

Ecclestone snared Jess Jonassen and Australia captain Alyssa Healy in the same over while Filer had the prize scalp of Perry as a century went begging, with the tourists then ending the day on 328 for seven.

Skilful slow left-armer Ecclestone also castled Tahlia McGrath, who struck 61 in a 119-run stand with Perry, to finish with figures of 31-6-71-3 on the opening day of the one-off Test at Trent Bridge.

The tall and speedy Filer vindicated her selection over Issy Wong with two for 65 but all of England’s seamers went at more than four an over, with Ecclestone the only bowler to hem in Australia’s batters.

Heather Knight, who promised to “entertain and inspire” on the eve of only the second five-day Women’s Test in history, was attacking throughout with her field settings after they were asked to bowl – something the England captain said she would have done anyway after Healy called correctly at the toss.

Trying to regain the urn for the first time since 2015, England made a false start on a day where an attendance of 5,545 marked the largest attendance on a single day for a women’s Test in this country.

Kate Cross, fully recovered from an intestinal parasite that plagued her build-up, was entrusted with the first delivery but served up an anti-climactic no-ball in a first over that yielded nine.

The Dukes ball moved laterally early on a green-tinged pitch but Phoebe Litchfield justified her inclusion and showed few signs of nerves on Test debut with some elegant strokeplay.

Beth Mooney was spared on nine after Cross dropped a tough one-handed return grab, but later in the over Litchfield erred when padding up to a delivery that shaped back in before compounding the mistake by walking off for 23 when DRS showed the ball would have missed off-stump.

Out walked the indomitable Perry, who greeted Ecclestone’s introduction by driving a short and wide delivery for four, while Test debutant Danni Wyatt shelling a diving catch after Cross had drawn Mooney’s edge seemed costly when the Australia opener clattered two boundaries off Nat Sciver-Brunt.

Held back until the 18th over, Filer made her presence immediately felt by beating the defences of Perry, whose immediate review was vindicated when replays detected a thick inside edge on to the pads.

Perry was beaten by the second ball and edged the third, hurried by the extra pace of Filer, who had due success in her third over as Mooney’s back-foot punch on 33 took the edge and carried to Cross.

Sciver-Brunt and Filer tested Perry with bouncers but she pulled handsomely on both occasions, finding some rhythm alongside McGrath, who got stuck into Lauren Bell with three fours in an over after lunch.

There was a flat feeling in the field for much of the second session as Perry went to a stylish half-century with a late dab off Cross for her ninth four while McGrath also moved to a fluent 50.

But Ecclestone prised the partnership apart with a delivery that angled in then turned fractionally to beat the forward prod of McGrath and clip the top of off-stump.

A lengthy break ensued after the heavens opened but the drainage at the Nottingham venue meant play was not curtailed for the day – and England may have been grateful as Ecclestone landed a double blow.

Jonassen missed a sweep but the ball brushed her glove before looping to Tammy Beaumont as the not out decision was overturned, while Healy lasted just two balls after shuffling down the order for Litchfield, playing down the wrong line and bowled when Ecclestone came wider on the crease.

England had the big fish when Perry flashed at Filer and the ball flew to Sciver-Brunt at gully, one ball after a similar shot had flown away for four, as England claimed three wickets in 24 balls.

Ashleigh Gardner and Annabel Sutherland threatened to take some of the sheen away from England in a 77-run union, with the hosts having to bowl 33.3 overs in an elongated final session, finishing at 7.25pm.

While Sutherland (39 not out) was unbeaten at stumps, Gardner tickled Bell’s first delivery with the second new ball to depart for 40.

Lauren Filer will make her England debut in the one-off Test that marks the start of the multi-format Women’s Ashes after being preferred to fellow seamer Issy Wong.

England have announced their XI, 24 hours out from the start of the Trent Bridge match, with 32-year-old batter Danni Wyatt set for her Test debut after making 245 international white-ball appearances.

Despite being wicketless in a warm-up against an Australia A side last week, England have seen enough from Filer to nudge her ahead of the highly-rated Wong for the five-day fixture.

Filer has taken eight wickets in four matches in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy in 2023 and five in the Charlotte Edwards Cup, and the 22-year-old is set to be thrust into the biggest test of her career.

She was one of two uncapped players named in England’s Test squad with head coach Jon Lewis praising her as a “genuine wicket-taking threat with good pace and swing” and offering a “point of difference”.

Bowling all-rounder Danielle Gibson will have to wait for her first England cap, with the hosts choosing to bolster their batting as they go in search of a first series win over Australia since 2014.

Wyatt has registered in excess of 4,000 runs in the shorter formats in an international career that started in March 2010 – including a 56-ball T20 hundred against Australia in Canberra in November 2017.

She made a quickfire 37 off 46 balls for England A in a practice match against a full Australia side last week.

England have named uncapped Western Storm duo Lauren Filer and Danielle Gibson in their 15-player group for next week’s Ashes Test at Trent Bridge.

Jon Lewis’ side begin their quest to win back the Ashes for the first time since 2014 with a five-day Test against Australia from June 22.

Twelve members of the group have featured for England before in red-ball cricket, but Filer and Gibson, alongside Alice Capsey, are now vying to earn their Test debuts.

All-rounder Gibson travelled as a reserve to the T20 World Cup in February and has had a fine season with recent half-centuries for the Storm in the Charlotte Edwards Cup.

Seamer Filer has claimed eight wickets in four Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy matches in 2023 and could feature in a warm-up fixture against Australia A at Derbyshire from Thursday.

England have also named their A-squad for a three-day warm-up game with Australia at Leicestershire from Thursday and Danni Wyatt and Alice Davidson-Richards, who are both part of the 15-player Test group, are included.

Lewis said: “We are looking forward to what promises to be an exciting Ashes series.

“We are fortunate that our talent pool is growing fast, this has enabled us to pick a nicely balanced squad.

“Dani (Gibson) is one of the form cricketers in the country, she is improving both with bat and ball and if selected in the team, offers us a dynamic cricketer who can change the momentum of the game.

“Lauren is a genuine wicket-taking threat with good pace and swing. Again, if selected in the playing 11, she offers us a point of difference in our bowling attack that could impact a Test match at any point in the game.

“Our preparations are going well and this week’s upcoming games against Australia A and Australia give us another great opportunity to rehearse for the Test match next week.

“To have two Ashes series running alongside each other is very special and we look forward to entertaining our fans and gaining some new ones along the way.”

England Test squad to face Australia: H Knight (captain), N Sciver-Brunt (vice-captain), T Beaumont, L Bell, A Capsey, K Cross, A Davidson-Richards, S Dunkley, S Ecclestone, L Filer, D Gibson, A Jones, E Lamb, I Wong, D Wyatt.

England A squad to face Australia in warm-up: L Winfield-Hill (captain), C Dean (vice-captain), M Bouchier, A Davidson-Richards, F Davies, S Glenn, K Gordon, E Gray, B Heath, E Jones, P Scholfield, G Scrivens, D Wyatt.