Women's Ashes: England add uncapped pace bowler Lauren Bell to squad
- Published
Lauren Bell impressed for the Southern Brave during The Hundred last summer
England have added uncapped pace bowler Lauren Bell to their Women's Ashes squad before the one-off Test against Australia.
Southern Vipers player Bell, 21, has been promoted from the England A squad.
The four-day Test at the Manuka Oval in Canberra starts on Thursday (23:00 GMT on Wednesday).
Holders Australia are leading the multi-format series 4-2 after victory in the first Twenty20 before the next two were abandoned because of rain.
Bell took 3-35 in a warm-up game against England's senior team on tour, before claiming 3-17 in a T20 against Australia A.
She took 12 wickets for Southern Brave in The Hundred last summer as well as five in the Charlotte Edwards Cup and nine in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for the Vipers.
"Lauren bowled really well throughout the English summer and she's continued that good form over here on Australian wickets," said England head coach Lisa Keightley.
"She gives us another option to consider for selection going into the Test match."
Test victory would be 'enormous' - Cross
There are four points on offer for the winner of the Test match and Australia will retain the Ashes with victory as England would only be able to secure an 8-8 draw at best.
The three one-day internationals that follow the Test are worth two points each.
There have only been four Tests in women's cricket over the past five years and each one has ended in a draw, including the last two Ashes Tests and England's one-off Test against India at home in June.
England pace bowler Kate Cross says trying to force victory in the Test "has more significance" following the two washed out T20s.
"It's been a strange start to the series but we know that if we win this Test we can be 6-4 up, which would take us into the ODIs in a strong position," she told BBC Test Match Special.
"We've seen in recent history how important batting well is and we want to be really positive - the Test in the summer against India we tried that and tried to force a result.
"I love red ball cricket and I've always said we should play more of it. It's such a shame to talk about being an 'experienced' Test cricketer having only played five games - especially when you see how many the likes of James Anderson and Stuart Broad have played.
"Winning Tests doesn't happen often in the women's game, so winning this would boost us so much and the momentum we'd take going into the last three games would be enormous."