At just 24 years of age, Southern Brave’s pace spearhead Lauren Bell brings up yet another personal milestone, and this one has etched her name permanently into the history books of The Hundred.
With 51 wickets to her name across four-and-a-half seasons, Bell has become the first-ever player to claim 50 wickets in the tournament’s short but eventful history. Given her current red-hot form in the ongoing 5th edition, where she leads the wicket charts with 10 wickets in four innings.
The record was accomplished in her outing against the Trent Rockets at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, in the 15th Match of the tournament on 16th August 2025. She got to the landmark when she picked up the wicket of the opposition skipper, Ashleigh Gardner. She returned with match figures (20-11-16-3) in her yet another impressive spell.
Making her debut for Southern Brave on 24 July 2021, facing Trent Rockets at Nottingham, she immediately made an impression, returning 2 for 23 in her 20-ball spell (20-0-23-2). That day, the cricketing fraternity caught a glimpse of what was to come: a tall, skiddy medium-fast bowler who could move the ball, control the run rate, and strike at pivotal moments.
Over the next four editions, Bell’s numbers have spoken as much as her bowling: 51 wickets in just 36 innings, at an average of 16.07 and an economy rate of 7.15. These are not merely the stats of a wicket-taker, but of a genuine match-winner who understands the pressures of the 100-ball format. Her ability to thrive both in the powerplay with the new ball and at the death has made her indispensable to Southern Brave’s success.
Her career-best figures in the tournament, 4 for 10 from 20 balls (20-13-10-4), came on 25 August 2022, again against Trent Rockets, but this time on home soil at Southampton in the second edition. It was a spell that broke the game wide open and earned her a well-deserved Player of the Match award. That day, Bell was not merely bowling dots; she was bowling knockout blows against top-tier batters.
Now, in the 5th edition, Bell has once again set the tone for the season. Her 10 wickets in four matches have not only put her at the top of the bowling charts but also underlined her evolution, more controlled, more incisive, and, crucially, more threatening at the death. She is no longer just a young prodigy; she is Southern Brave’s heartbeat with the ball.
Lauren Bell has become the first bowler in the competition to reach the 50-wicket mark. In doing so, she has set a benchmark that future pacers, and even spinners, who often dominate in shorter formats, will aspire to reach. For a competition still in its formative years, having such a record-holder provides a vital point of reference for its cricketing folklore.
This milestone is not just about the numbers; it’s about the emergence of a modern bowling leader in women’s cricket. In a format built around high-scoring games and power-hitting, Bell’s success is a reminder that smart, skilful fast bowling can still dictate terms. Her rise also mirrors the growth trajectory of The Women’s Hundred itself, fresh, ambitious, and delivering on its promise to produce stars who can inspire a generation.
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