The Ashes 2023: England hand debut to pace bowler Lauren Filer for Australia Test at Trent Bridge
- Published
Lauren Filer recorded figures of 0-27 off eight overs and 0-40 off 11 overs against Australia A last week
Women's Ashes: England v Australia |
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Venue: Trent Bridge Date: 22-26 June |
Coverage: Ball-by-ball commentary on BBC 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds and on the BBC Sport website and app, where there will be live text commentary and in-play video clips. Daily Today at the Test highlights from 19:00 BST (BBC Two on 22 and 26 June, BBC Four 23/24/25 June) |
Western Storm bowler Lauren Filer will make her England debut in the Ashes Test against Australia, that starts at Trent Bridge on Thursday.
Right-arm pace bowler Filer, 22, has taken eight wickets in four Rachel Heyhoe Flint Trophy games this summer and five in the Charlotte Edwards Cup.
Batter Danni Wyatt, 32, will also make her Test debut, having played 245 white-ball games for England.
Filer is joined by Kate Cross and Lauren Bell in the seam attack.
Left-armer Sophie Ecclestone is the spin option, with all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt adding another pace dimension to England's team.
All-rounder Danielle Gibson and pace bowler Issy Wong have been left out from England's reduced 13-player squad, while Alice Capsey and Alice Davidson-Richards were released earlier in the week to join the A squad.
England team to play Australia: Tammy Beaumont, Emma Lamb, Heather Knight (captain), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Sophia Dunkley, Danielle Wyatt, Amy Jones (wk), Sophie Ecclestone, Kate Cross, Lauren Filer, Lauren Bell.
Filer was a surprise call-up when the squad was initially announced, with head coach Jon Lewis highlighting her extra pace made her a "genuine wicket-taking threat" and gave the attack "a point of difference that could impact a Test match at any point in the game".
She took 11 wickets in six Rachel Heyhoe Flint Trophy matches last season, alongside one wicket in the Charlotte Edwards Cup.
Wyatt makes her red-ball debut having scored over 4,000 international runs across formats, adding depth to England's batting.
She has been preferred to Gibson, who though more than capable with bat, is more of a bowling all-rounder.
The Test marks the beginning of the multi-format series and England trying to regain the Ashes from Australia.
Four points are on offer in the Test with two points per win handed out in the three T20s and three one-day internationals that follow.
'This XI is a risk' - analysis
BBC Sport cricket writer Ffion Wynne
This XI is a clear sign of the aggressive approach that Jon Lewis is trying to instil in England with a very batting-heavy line-up.
It's a risk - Wyatt has never played a Test match, but her naturally attacking style of play will suit Lewis' intent.
There is some surprise that Gibson did not make the cut after a strong all-round performance in the warm-up game against Australia A at Derby last week, potentially leaving England a bowler light.
Lewis has gone with a point of difference in Filer's pace but with her inexperience, it makes Cross' role as leader of the attack even more important.
And with just one spinner, Ecclestone's workload is going to have to be managed very carefully, so it's likely we can expect quite a few overs from Emma Lamb.
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