Lauren Bell

Bell’s rise in English women’s cricket began in 2019 when she played for the England women’s Academy against Australia A and secured an academy contract for the 2019–20 season. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she was one of 24 women selected to begin training with England, standing out as one of three uncapped players. Her progress continued with selection in England’s A squad for the 2021–22 tour to Australia alongside the Women’s Ashes, and she was soon promoted to the full England squad for a Test match during that tour. She was also named as a reserve for England’s squad in the 2022 Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand.

Bell made her Test debut against South Africa in June 2022 and shortly after debuted in Women’s One Day Internationals (WODIs) that July. She earned her first England central contract in November 2022, cementing her place in the national setup. In 2023, Bell featured prominently in the Ashes series against Australia across all formats. She achieved her first five-wicket haul in WODIs against New Zealand in July 2024 and was named in England’s squads for the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup and the multi-format tour to South Africa later that year, underscoring her growing role in England’s women’s cricket team.