Lauren Filer: England fast bowler who could lead them to 2025 Women's Ashes glory against Australia | Cricket News

Eighteen months ago, Trent Bridge, 2023 Women's Ashes Test, England threw out a raw gem of Australia's pace bowling. It just wasn't what we expected it to be.

Issy Wong burst onto the scene at the age of 20 when she made her England debut in all three formats the previous year, and just three months earlier she scored a stunning hat-trick in the inaugural Women's Premier League in India to see off Mumbai Indians. to the final.

Wong was fast becoming the face of the Ashes, her image featured in almost every advertising campaign in the build-up to the 2023 series, only to be overlooked for Test match selection in favor of the relatively unheralded Lauren Filer.

And it is the recently turned 24-year-old who now carries the weight of England's expectations on her shoulders as they prepare for the Ashes series Down Under, which begins on January 11, hoping for a first series victory over the old foe in 11 years.

“That's definitely going to be our toughest challenge,” Filer said Sky Sports. “Australia are a very, very good side, but it's just about getting to grips with everything we've done over the last few months – probably since the last Ashes, to be honest.

“Obviously we're nervous, but I think we're in a really good place and, actually, nerves are good nerves, not 'we're not ready' nerves. We're just excited to go out and play.”

The last time Filer faced the Aussies, her first delivery in international cricket that sunny June 2023 in Nottingham saw the debutant's extra charge rap Elyse Perry across the pads – but, crucially, over an inside edge that meant an lbw decision was overturned on revision.

Fileer went on to take four for the match, including Perry twice – bowling both her and Tahlia McGrath in back-to-back overs as part of a fiery second-innings burst – as she showed both the skill and temperament to succeed at the elite level.

England have since carefully managed Filer's career, however, Wong may have served as a cautionary tale – struggles with the latter which were painfully evident during her only appearance that summer in 2023, in a T20 against Sri Lanka, limiting her to just three appearances since then for white balls, all coming against Ireland.

Filler did not feature again in the rest of that 2023 multi-format Ashes, despite having so riled Australia in the Test match. It was clear that England were playing the long game.

And since then the fast bowler had to remain patient. She has played in 12 of the 18 ODIs England have played since visiting Australia 18 months ago and in just seven of their 28 T20 internationals, including being overlooked for selection at the 2024 Women's World T20 in the United States of the Arab Emirates, which by all accounts are suitable for turning. .

But during England's recent series win in South Africa, Filer was more of a mainstay of the attack, exploiting the kind of faster, more powerful tracks that can be expected in Australia as well.

Her 3-32 in the second ODI win in Durban was the fourth instance of the speedster taking three in her 12 appearances in the 50-over format – the stumps of Tazmin Brits, Suna Luus and Nonkululeko Mlaba all dismantled to devastating effect in a performance that just eclipsing Charlie Dean's hat-trick.

Such a display was far from a fluke either, with eight of Filler's 20 ODI wickets – at an average of just 17.65 – being 'taken', her extra pace consistently exceeding 70mph, regularly charging at opposition players and beating their defences.

“With the role I play, I know I'm not necessarily going to get every ball right because I'm trying to bowl as fast as I can,” Filer said.

“I think having the support of (head coach John) Lewis and (captain) Heather (Knight) means it's a really healthy place to be… because maybe before I played for England I didn't necessarily feel that way.

“Plus, I feel like the courts here (Australia) suit me a lot. I'm looking forward to the series, I hope to get out there and have fun.”

Filer stepped up for the tour of South Africa in December, replacing the injured Kate Kroos as part of a devastating partnership with Lauren Bell as England beat the Proteas by 286 runs in the series-ending Test match.

Bell was rightly named man of the match for her stunning figures of 8-76 in Bloemfontein, but Filer's 3-65 should not be overlooked and, on another day, she could earn richer rewards.

And who's to say her day won't come in ashes? Fileer is far from the unknown she returned to in the summer of 2023, but she is still just as capable of striking fear into that Australian top order – not to underestimate England's esteemed opponents.

“They are a very good side, have been for many years,” Filer said.

“It's in their home country and obviously everyone around us will want us to lose. Looking back at the home Ashes a few years ago, I know how much the crowd made me want to do well, so I know how they can kind of affect everyone.

“But I think for us it's all about focusing on what we do as a team. South Africa was also a good preparation for that, we played very good cricket there.

“I think we're in a good place. It's definitely going to be a challenging few weeks, but as long as we keep pushing, that's the key.”

The face of this year's Ashes? Maybe you're just looking at her.

Women's Ashes 2025 Schedule

All UK and Ireland dates and times

• First ODI: 11.30pm Saturday 11th January – North Sydney Oval
• Other ODIs: 23.05, Monday 13 January – Junction Oval, Melbourne
• Third ODI: 23.05, Thursday 16 January – Ninja Stadium, Hobart
• First T20I: 8.40am, Monday 20 January – Sydney Cricket Ground
• Second T20I: 8.40am, Thursday 23 January – Manuka Oval, Canberra
• Third T20I: 8.10am, Saturday 25 January – Adelaide Oval
• Test: 3.30pm, Thursday 30 January – Sunday 2 February – MCG, Melbourne