Experience is helping Lauren to develop

FORMER Hungerford cricket club player Lauren Bell is pleased to be featuring in more games as the new season is up and running.

Bell has played in each of Berkshire’s county championship games, where they have won all three, including last weekend’s 74-run win against Somerset.

“We have a really strong squad this year as we have Anya [Shrubsole] in and Heather [Knight] is back once again.

And the former St Bartholomew pupil believes the support from her teammates has developed her own game.

“I batted with Heather last weekend and just having her there definitely helps me out, and it’s the same with Anya whenever I am bowling,” she said. “I am learning a lot off them and they’re giving me a lot of time.”

“I have been opening the bowling with Anya and it’s a nice partnership because she is very experienced and she teaches me so much.”

Bell will feature in three more matches for Berkshire over the next few weeks before joining Middlesex ahead of their T20 campaign.

I am very excited about that,” she said. “I am on loan with them to try to strengthen the squad.

“They won the division last year, so hopefully I can come in and help them do the same once again this season.

“It’ll be great to come in and play high quality cricket and get me ready for the Southern Vipers season too.”

Prior to the season beginning, the 18-year-old was selected to captain Berkshire in a friendly against Essex at Falkland CC.

I am not a very experienced captain,” Bell admitted. “It hasn’t really been my thing, but I wanted to give it a go and I must admit, it was really hard.

“I managed to learn a lot more about cricket in that game so it was very useful and I must praise other captains because it is such a hard job.

“Being a captain teaches you to look so much more into the game because you have to think about everyone on the field.”

And Bell is hoping to continue developing as a player to feature in more games this season.

She made her debut with the Vipers last year and she’s excited to play once again when the KIA Super League campaign kicks off on August 20 against Western Storm.

She said: “I like to take each game as it comes, but I want to bowl well and get some good figures to perform in the county season with the Vipers.”