Lauren Filer’s Rise from Supermarket to England’s Cricket Star: A Journey of Growth and Success
Lauren Filer’s remarkable journey from working at Tesco to donning England’s cricket jersey showcases her dedication and relentless pursuit of excellence.
From working in a supermarket to learning from the top professionals in the field, England quickly.
Before making her England debut in the Women’s Ashes last year, Lauren Filer had seen more than most, having worked in a Tesco shop and represented her country.
Filer, who is now on a tour in New Zealand where her team will play three ODI series after winning the T20I leg 4-1, is still keen to learn as much as she can.
“It was probably about a year and a half, maybe just over 18 months ago, I got sacked from my job in a supermarket and obviously I’ve not really looked back since,” said Filer. “The past eighteen months have flown by, and I believe that experience has kind of forced me to work even harder. I simply want to keep developing and have no desire to look back.”
In the run-up to Christmas 2022, Filer was fired, allegedly for not putting in enough shift work and for playing cricket too much. But looking back, it’s evident that her priorities were spot on.
“It’s obviously a strange story, it’s probably not similar to most other people,” she replied. “I think a lot of kids start playing cricket very young, and I was too, but it wasn’t until a year ago that I really understood the professional aspect of the game. Yes, it’s a little unusual, but I’m really happy with where I am right now.”
Filer, who turned 23 in December, has been making waves in the cricket world with her fast bowling since making her debut for her country against Australia in the Test match that opened the Ashes last June, taking four wickets in two innings.
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“I think it was the professionalism coming into the game,” said Filer. “I think that certainly helped that I signed a contract about five or six months before I was called up to England. I was forced to spend a winter honing my talents, utilizing the coaches, and engaging in full-time training as a result.
“That really helped me advance in the short months that it took for me to be able to attend these camps in England and try to demonstrate my abilities, which I believe I did. Obviously, I had no idea that I would be called up for the Ashes, but when it did happen, it went really well, and England and Western Storm helped me get through it. I just want to keep trying to get better and improve.”
Filer made her T20I debut in the opening game against New Zealand. In her two appearances there, she has not yet claimed a wicket, but she is enjoying the experience of playing with players like Sophie Ecclestone and Nat Sciver-Brunt, who didn’t play for England again until the fourth T20I following the WPL. In the fifth match in Wellington, both played crucial roles in a clinical five-wicket victory that reduced New Zealand to 69 for 5 before 19-year-old Izzy Gaze’s first-ever international half-century offered the hosts some hope.
After that, Sciver-Brunt and captain Heather Knight shared 57 runs to reach a manageable 137, but Sciver-Brunt’s greatest impact came with the ball as she claimed two wickets in her opening two overs, sending New Zealand reeling at 10 for 2.
“I saw Nat bowling in the warm-up and thought she’d have a good day,” said Filer. “I wasn’t surprised at all when she started bowling and kept them down because she was hitting the ball with great length and accuracy and it just looked amazing.”
“Having her bowl is amazing, especially during the powerplay. When you’re on the other end, you kind of take it for granted, especially since I’m probably one of the guys who leaks runs a little bit more than that. That’s why it’s nice to have someone like that on the other end.”
“And Eccles is undoubtedly a fantastic player once more. Without showing off her skills with the bat or ball, or making a spectacular catch, like she did with her bowling, she doesn’t really have a game. Both of them are excellent players, and when they do return to the England shirt, I believe it will be quite difficult to keep them out of the game.”
Sciver-Brunt, Ecclestone, and Knight, three mainstays of the team, have all played in New Zealand, but England has built an impressive depth chart, with Maia Bouchier top-scoring with 223 runs at an average of 55.75 and off-spinner Charlie Dean top-scoring with seven wickets at 19.14. Both have been a part of the England team for a while, although they were absent from the Ashes series. Bouchier made her ODI debut during the late-summer series against Sri Lanka last year.
“I’m a relatively new, fresh face and I think we’ve had a few other fresh faces come in,” Filer stated. We’re moving in the right path because of the impressive form of our monster Boosh [Bouchier], who is hitting a ton of bombs. Of course, the veteran players also contribute to this. From here, I believe we can only go higher.”
