England debutant Lauren Filer celebrated a “surreal” day after taking two vital wickets on day one of The Ashes, and praised Somerset bowler Jack Brooks, who revolutionised her action over the winter.
Filer took two wickets on debut in what was an incredibly impressive performance from the 22-year-old quick, who captain Heather Knight described before the match as potentially the fastest bowler in the country.
Dismissing both Beth Mooney and Ellyse Perry, Filer bowled with pace and bounce and almost had the perfect start to her international career when she had Perry given LBW from her first very first ball, only for it to be overturned on review.
“I was just trying to bowl it straight,” Filer said. “But when it hit the pads I was just screaming. 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, who represents Western Storm and has a twin sister who plays for Somerset, has had a rapid rise to the England team after a winter of technical work produced phenomenal results. Working with England women’s bowling coach Matt Mason and Somerset quick bowler Jack Brooks, the trio changed Filer’s load-up to the tune of an additional five miles-per-hour.
“I’ve definitely put on a few yards,” Filer explained. “And I feel now it’s almost easier to bowl quicker. I feel like last year I had to really try and it did hurt. Whereas now it feels like I'm in a really good flow.
“Matt Mason our bowling coach and Jack Brooks who plays for Somerset, they spoke together and it was all about my load up and my timing was all wrong. So it was trying to load up at the same time to get my timing right in simpler terms but it’s obviously helped a lot.
“When I told [Brooks] he was ecstatic. I won’t say what he said! But he’s a great guy and I do owe a lot to him.”
In dismissing both Mooney and Perry, two Australia legends, Filer became the first English bowler to ever remove the pair in the same innings. Her first wicket was of Mooney, who edged to gully, whilst her second was particularly special, as Perry slashed to gully where she was dramatically caught whilst on 99.
After the day’s play, Perry was quick to praise England’s new quick.
“I'd had a really great tussle with Filer the whole time,” she said. “I thought she was extremely impressive on debut and brought the game alive at different points. That ball just had my measure which is totally fine but I really enjoyed today to be out there and be a part of it.
“To be really specific, the length that you'd normally be comfortable to go back to just seemed to be skidding on. Whether that's her natural disposition or whether that was the way the pitch was playing, a lot of our players who went back to balls got a bit hurried.
“It was really important to adjust as quickly as you could, thinking about getting on the front foot to her. I thought she moved the ball off the seam a little bit too and was consistently at a good pace. You can see how much effort and energy she puts into her action and she definitely got some rewards.”
