Bell ready to rattle Aussies with added strings to her bow

Lauren Bell believes her remodelled action has fallen into place at the right time, as she sets her sights on dismantling Australia's star-studded top-order across the multi-format Ashes.

Bell is a key cog in England's plans to end their 10-year Ashes drought and forms part of a potent pace attack that is also headlined by the experienced Kate Cross and Natalie Sciver-Brunt, and the raw pace of Lauren Filer.

Bell and Filer were the main destroyers in England's 286-run Test win over South Africa last month, taking 11 wickets between them, and the pair are now eager to unleash in Australian conditions.

Towering right-arm quick Bell, who rose to international level wielding a dangerous inswinger, worked on her action throughout England's home 2024 summer after realising her old action not only caused back pain, but was restricting the 23-year-old's ability to add outswing and extra pace to her repertoire.

"I've had a tricky last 12 months, so it's nice, it gives me a bit of confidence and I feel in a really good place," Bell said in Sydney on Wednesday after of Sunday's opening Ashes ODI.

"South Africa has given me a lot of confidence that it's going in the right direction. 

"Just adding more strings to my bow is what I've been doing, and I had a big inswinger but that was kind of all I had. 

"Having different options against different players, and then learning which to use … in different scenarios, different situations, different pitches, it will make me a better player. 

"I feel in a really good place with it all."

Filer, 24, bolted into England's Test XI that met Australia at Trent Bridge in June 2023 and caused immediate problems with her extra pace, taking the wickets of Ellyse Perry (twice), Beth Mooney and Tahlia McGrath in her first international outing.

Her arrival added another dimension to an England pace attack that has undergone significant changes in the past two years following the retirements of greats Katherine Sciver-Brunt and Anya Shrubsole. 

"Our attack's looking really good, the skill of Kate Cross, Nat Sciver-Brunt and then the height of (Bell and Filer)," England opener Tammy Beaumont said.

"Lauren Filer particularly, she's really ready to fire out here and find a bit more pace and bounce in the pitches.

"We saw in South Africa that she was pretty scary. 

"I was at short leg in the Test match, and even I was thinking, I need to take a step back here – and I'm not someone that ever takes a step back."

Like Australia, England have been coming to terms with a T20 World Cup campaign that did not live up to expectations in October.

Heather Knight's team made a shock group stage exit following an upset defeat to West Indies, but they responded in style on their multi-format tour of South Africa in December, sweeping the T20Is 3-0, winning the ODI leg 2-1 before their dominant Test win.

Bell on Wednesday was insistent England would continue to play the aggressive brand of cricket they have adopted since the arrival of coach Jon Lewis in late 2022 – adding that keeping their focus inwards, rather than concentrating too heavily on Australia, would serve them well in the Ashes.

"I think since Lewis came in, there has been a change of how we want to play our cricket and there was a big push on we want to take the game on," Bell said. 

"We want to be entertaining, inspiring, play a game of cricket that everyone wants to watch. 

"Obviously, it didn't quite go to plan in one game in the World Cup, but it hasn't changed how we want to play our cricket. 

"If anything, it's just (reinforced) that we need to be even more brave and even more take the game on even more."

Commbank Women's Ashes 2025

First ODI: January 12: North Sydney Oval, Sydney, 10.30am AEDT

Second ODI: January 14: CitiPower Centre, Melbourne, 10.05am AEDT

Third ODI: January 17: Bellerive Oval, Hobart, 10.05am AEDT

First T20I: January 20: SCG, Sydney, 7.40pm AEDT

Second T20I: January 23: Manuka Oval, Canberra, 7.40pm AEDT

Third T20I: January 25: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, 7.10pm ACDT (7.40pm AEDT)

Australia squad (ODI/T20Is): Alyssa Healy (c), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris+, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath (vc), Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham

England squad (ODI/T20Is): Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross*, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Danielle Gibson+, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath+, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp+, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Linsey Smith+, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

* ODIs only; + T20Is only

Day-night Test: January 30 - February 2: MCG, Melbourne, 2.30pm AEDT

Australia Test squad: TBC

England Test squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

The rivalry resumes with a blockbuster series in Australia from Jan 12 - Feb 2. Learn about the remarkable 90-year history at the Women's Ashes Hub