17 February - Gqeberha - England player Lauren Bell pre-match press conference
[R]
Lauren, there's been a bit of talk about how well the spinners are fairing in this tournament so far, but it's looking a bit more like conditions in the pitch might favour the seamers. Have you guys talked about that and what are your thoughts?
[Lauren Bell]
Yeah, I think so far seamers have been outstanding. I think we've got three of the best seamers around at the moment, so yeah, they've been great. I think we haven't spoken massively about the pitches favouring us. I think we just concentrate on what we do best and I think Catherine and I and Nat as seamers just want to put in the performance that the team needs.
[R]
And just a word on India as an opposition and how tough this match may or may not be. I mean, it's a real big sort of draw card. Just sort of talk about what you're expecting.
[Lauren Bell]
Yeah, I think it's a really big game. India obviously have great opposition, but I think we are going in really confident. We've been playing really good cricket and moving in the right direction. I think the way we're playing at the moment, yeah, we're really confident going into this game.
[R]
Hi, Lauren. All the best for tomorrow. Given the last time India and England played, which was during India's tour of England 2022, a lot happened around that non-striker dismissal. Have there been any chatter around that? Any memories from that as England gear up to face India again?
[Lauren Bell]
No, England as a team have put that behind us and hopefully India have as well. And I think it's a fresh World Cup and yeah, that's the focus on Saturday.
[R]
And how is it like facing a team like India? You've played them considerably a number of times over the past few years. Your standout facets in terms of facing the Indian lineup?
[Lauren Bell]
Yeah, I think obviously India are a great opposition, but yeah, as I said, we're really confident and I think our battles are, yeah, the way they're playing and the confidence they have at the moment, we can really take on the India attack and I think as a bowling unit, we're growing in confidence and yeah, it should be a really good game.
[R]
And it looks like you'll have to make a trip to India after the World Cup for the Women's Premier League. You've been picked up by the Warriors. So your initial reactions to that bid, what were they like? Did you follow? You couldn't follow them live, I'm guessing. How did that entire episode pan out while England were playing a game on that day?
[Lauren Bell]
Yeah, of course, it was a bit of a strange day on Monday. I think the mood around the camp for the game was different to how we've ever experienced before. But as a team, we chatted and once we got there and our phones were handed in, the sole focus was on the game and I think we did really well as a team to focus on that and yeah, getting the job done. And then obviously when we got our phones back after everyone found out the news and everyone was up to date on what was happening. Yeah, my initial reaction was shocked, but obviously it was a bittersweet moment where some of the girls didn't quite get what they wanted and some of us got picked up. So yeah, it was obviously I'm really excited, but yeah, it was a weird day.
[R]
So this is the rematch of the washed out fixture from the 2020 T20 World Cup. Looks like there is a possibility of rain tomorrow here at the venue. Should it go down that road a rain curtain match? How well prepared are England to face the possibility of that kind?
[Lauren Bell]
Yeah, I think rain is something that as a team, no one can control and you just have to be really adaptive to, yeah, what might happen with the weather. Hopefully we'll get a full game in, but yeah, we'll just have to see when we get there.
[R]
Hello, Lauren, Gomez here from the New India Express. All the best for tomorrow. So I just wanted to ask, what are the particular battles that you're looking for? You were a part of the T20 team that played against India in the middle of last year during the England summer. Is there any particular contest that you're looking for?
[Lauren Bell]
Who I, in the India team?
[R]
Yeah, any particular contest in the team?
[Lauren Bell]
I'd say from what I learned from the last series is obviously we had a really good contest with Shafali and Smriti at the top of the order. And I think, yeah, I think I've grown a lot as a bowler from then. And I think, yeah, obviously they've got some class players in their batting lineup. So yeah, I think the power play will be really key for us and we'll try and, yeah, try and start really fast in the ball.
[Lauren Bell]
Also, could you also touch upon if you had any kind of chat with Catherine because she was here the last time a World Cup was happening in South Africa in 2005 as well. Could you have spoken about that or how, on your thoughts on her? She's, she's been such a stalwart of the game.
[Lauren Bell]
Yeah, Catherine's a great teammate. I think off the pitch, on and off the pitch, I'm so lucky to have her experience and her knowledge. And she's so open to chatting to me about stuff. And yeah, I had a lot of nerves in the first game and she was, you couldn't ask for someone better to have next to you just chatting you through things. And yeah, she's, she's a great person and a great asset to the England team.
[R]
Thank you and all the best. Perfect. I think that's everything from in the room. So if we go to Sonia on Zoom, if you want to unmute yourself and ask your questions for Lauren.
[R]
Hi, Lauren. I asked Sarah this yesterday, but I was just wondering if you'd done any preparation specifically for the sort of run out at the non-strikers end after what happened at the end of your last game against India?
[Lauren Bell]
No, I think that's very much put to bed now. And yeah, we don't think about it, don't talk about it as a team. So, you know, there's been no practicing of that.
[Comms Team]
Sorry, you broke up there, Sonia. I don't know if you've accidentally muted yourself. Sorry.
[R]
I was just wondering if there's been any sort of working or discussions over making sure that you do stay in your crease when you're backing up?
[Lauren Bell]
No, there hasn't been. Yeah, no, honestly, it doesn't get discussed. I think that's just something that happened in the summer and it's, yeah, very much been left there for sure.
[R]
And finally, from me, we've seen you have such a sort of attacking intent, especially with the bat and finishing both games sort of well with it, with multiple balls to spare. Is that something you're looking to take into this game against India?
[Lauren Bell]
Yeah, definitely. I think irrelevant of the opponent we're facing, that is the style we want to play in and we want to be really, really confident and really aggressive. And yeah, that's how we'll come out in the game tomorrow. And yeah, pushing forward, that's how we want to play our cricket.
[R]
Great. Thank you. Good luck tomorrow. Thanks. Thank you, Sonia. If we move on to Rob Jones next, if you want to unmute yourself and ask your questions. Hi, Lauren. Hi.
[R]
Your first experience of a big ICC event, I read somewhere the other day that you said you feel nervous even when you play sort of club cricket. So just give me a sense of what it was like that first time you went in top of your run to bowl a ball in a World Cup.
[Lauren Bell]
Yeah, I'd say there were quite a few nerves around. I think obviously it was my first World Cup game and playing for England is always nerve wracking, but I had Catherine and Soph next to me and yeah, they managed to calm me down. I think the second game I settled into it much easier. So yeah, there were a lot of nerves, but I feel like I've got a good team around me.
[R]
Has it been everything you've expected so far, the whole experience, not just the games? Yeah, it's been amazing. I think South Africa is such a great place to play cricket and yeah, it's been so exciting and yeah, for sure.
[R]
And does it feel at all weird? I think you were in the crowd in 2017 when England won it at Lord's to think that now maybe there are people watching you at home and seeing you as the inspiration and someone to try and follow.
[Lauren Bell]
Yeah, I think I count myself so lucky to be part of a team that's so confident and striving so much to win a World Cup. I think we're in such a good position and the mood around the camp is that, yeah, we've got a really good chance. So yeah, I think I count myself quite lucky to be part of the squad.
[R]
Just to go back to Monday and the WIPL draft, did it feel at all sort of like you had to think about how to carry yourself in the sense that, as you said, there were some of the girls who didn't get drafted, so you didn't want to sort of almost appear too excited? And were there any sort of almost awkward conversations with anyone?
[Lauren Bell]
I think for sure you had to be respectful of your teammates, but I think as a team we're very together, like everyone's very close. So I think we got together that evening, yeah, and we're just a team celebrating the win. And obviously some girls were really excited, some girls were, yeah, disappointed. But I think, yeah, everyone's got their friends in the team around them. And yeah, it was okay, everyone. Yeah, everyone seems to have moved on from it now.
[R]
Yeah, and just finally for me, it's not even a year since you made your England debut, so to be at that point where you're already part of a franchise, does it ever feel like a little bit of a whirlwind that everything's come really fast and that the game is changing at the perfect time for someone like you?
[Lauren Bell]
Yeah, again, I feel so lucky to be at the stage of my career that I am at this age. Obviously, there's so many new opportunities and with the WPL, I was obviously hopeful to get in, but I didn't really have much expectation. So, yeah, no, I'm really excited to be going to that. And yeah, women's cricket looks really exciting going forward.
[R]
Thanks, Lauren. Good luck tomorrow.
[Comms]
Thank you. Thank you very much, Rob. If we move on to Abigail Curran next, if you want to meet yourself and ask your questions. Yeah.
[R]
Hi, Lauren. I just wanted to touch quickly on Alice Capsey, having such a young star within the squad. What's the buzz around camp with her been like? What's the buzz around camp with her been like?
[Comms]
Sorry, we couldn't hear that in the room very well. We're just trying to sort out the sound. So if you could repeat that question, please.
[R]
Yeah, sorry. Hi, Lauren. I just wanted to, if we could touch quickly on Alice Capsey, having such a young star within the squad. What's the buzz around her been like in camp?
[Lauren Bell]
Yeah, Capsey's a very talented player. I think she's done so well to come back from that collarbone injury in the West Indies. I think it shows a lot about her character and her resilience. But yeah, it's great to see her back at her best in this World Cup and she's definitely got a big future.
[R]
And just quickly, in the Ireland game, obviously there was a little stutter with the bat in the middle order there towards the end, obviously didn't impact the win. But is that something that you've been thinking about since that game, using in training or is it something you just want to sort of forget and move on from?
[Lauren Bell]
I think we addressed it, but I don't think as a team we saw it as a stutter because the way we want to play our cricket is really attacking and really aggressive and that's what the girls tried to do, try to finish the chase. We didn't want to finish the chase in a way we don't play our cricket. So yeah, I think as a team, obviously we'd want to be a bit more clinical with how we finished it. But I think the way everyone went out and tried to do the chase was exactly how we want to play our cricket.
