Lauren Filer aims to breach the 80-mile mark against India in the 4th T20i with the series alive and kicking at 2-1.
Lauren Filer eyes magic 80mph mark after Oval fast show.
Lauren Filer is perfectly content to pave the way for cricket’s fast-bowling women, but she’ll be happy to enlist others in her cause.
In Friday’s exciting five-run triumph over India in the third Twenty20 International at The Oval, Filer bowled the fastest over ever recorded in women’s cricket, averaging 76 mph. She claimed that the elusive 80 mph mark was firmly on her radar after being twice measured at 79 mph in her fourth over, the 16th in India’s chase of 172.
“Not to sound cocky, but I think I knew that I’d be able to push close to 80,” Filer said of that over. “I sort of touched on 78 every so often over the last year and, for me on Friday, the great thing about it was the fact that it was more consistent, that’s what I’ve been trying to do.
“It’s not necessarily hitting that one ball that’s 80, that’s not going to make the difference. The difference is the consistency of increasing my speed. From the game in Trent Bridge, I think I was averaging 73, then I went up to 75 in Bristol and now obviously 76 at The Oval.
“That’s what I’m trying to aim for and hopefully again I can hit that 80 number. I’m just going to try and keep consistently bowling at that mid-70s and in the women’s game that’s not heard of very often, so that’s my aim.”
“Bowling’s all about feel,” she said. “It’s not about trying to lug it down as fast as you can because on Friday I didn’t necessarily feel at my quickest, but actually it’s usually then is when you probably are bowling your quickest, it’s all about flow and rhythm.
“So it is more just getting into time and cleaning up my action. I’m quite limby, it’s all limbs go everywhere, so it’s all just bringing it together and that’s what’s happened over the last couple of games.”