Lauren Filer, the England fast bowler, has joined Durham on a three-year deal, ahead of the club's maiden season as a Tier 1 women's county in 2025.
Filer, the fastest bowler in England's current ranks, follows her international team-mate Mady Villiers as another significant signing for Durham, who have taken over from Headingley-based Northern Diamonds as the northern-most representative in the new women's domestic set-up.
Now aged 23, Filer made her mark on the international game during last summer's Ashes, including a memorablly hostile debut in the one-off Test at Trent Bridge. To date, she has played 17 matches across formats for England, but was overlooked for this month's T20 World Cup in the UAE.
She heads to Durham after coming through Somerset's pathway, having made 41 appearances for Western Storm since signing her first professional contract in 2020, with her best figures of 3 for 8 coming in this season's Charlotte Edwards Cup.
She has also appeared for Welsh Fire, London Spirit and Manchester Originals in the Women's Hundred, and claimed an England-best haul of 3 for 10 during the recent ODI series against Ireland in Belfast.
"I'm super excited to make the move up north," Filer said. "Durham is a great place where I share some very happy cricketing memories.
"The values the club holds as a whole were extremely important to my move up to the North East and they hold everything I think is necessary for a successful and healthy environment.
"After the change to the women's structure, it's important to keep the women's game moving in the right direction, and I believe Durham has the support and infrastructure to do that. With this vision and the extremely talented group of girls we have, it's very exciting to see what we can do."
Marcus North, Durham's Director of Cricket, added: "We are delighted to have signed one of the most exciting young fast bowlers in England. "Lauren is already regarded as one of the fastest bowlers in the women's game since bursting onto the international scene during the Women's Ashes last year and we cannot wait to welcome her to Durham.
"Our squad is coming together nicely and with the addition of Lauren she adds a huge point of difference with her pace and quality. "We look forward to supporting Lauren's ambitions on the field for England and in playing an integral part in establishing a successful Women's Team at Durham."