Lauren Bell: Sorceress Supreme of the dot-verse
Amidst the wax and wanes of every journey, there stays a constant. An absolute point in space time continuum that no matter even if an explorer comes knocking someday on the dominoes of history, those points will always be untouched. One such point in RCB’s WPL 2026 journey has been Lauren Bell. Already known as the Queen of Dots, the English fast-bowler has shown incredible discipline so far in the tournament.
When it comes to mastering the new ball, like the way, there are perks if you can control the wily little cherry in your hands, similarly there are cons that you don’t want to be at the receiving end of. Captains think twice before handing over the new ball to someone. The only reason being, the margin of error with the new ball is almost zilch and a millimetre too short or a touch too full, an inch to the side or a yorker missed, the batter will pounce upon that like a famished predator.
And that is exactly where the constants come in. From the icons of the sport stepping up to gun in with the new ball, to the newcomers learning the art, it has always been a fascinating element of the game, irrespective of the format. In WPL 2026, Lauren Bell has not just dropped a masterclass but she has carved a lesson of how you master the art of bowling with the new ball.
The day the tournament started and RCB were up against the formidable Mumbai Indians, Bell started her first spell with an absolute peach that angled away from Amelia Kerr. From thereon, it was the highest show of discipline with Bell sticking to the back of length and every single delivery had a hint of movement. The first two overs bowled by Bell in WPL conceded just a solitary run. She claimed her first WPL scalp in Red and Gold threads when she got the better of Kerr and finished her first game with figures of 4-1-14-1.
That was just the beginning of the incredible brilliance to follow. Up next in RCB’s long line of conquests were the UP Warriorz, who actually put up a fine show with the bat in the previous fixture. Bell was having none of it. For her it was about sticking to her guns and once again she proved to be mighty economical, completing the day with figures of 4-0-16-1.
From thereon, it has only been a rise to ascendancy for the English ace. Not only has Bell become the beacon of hope for RCB, but her performances have only gone from strength to strength. Back to back three-fers coming against Gujarat Giants and Delhi Capitals respectively, was the addition of another intimidating avatar of hers, which made the world take note.
At the end of yesterday’s game, Bell has created a universe of her own which she calls the dot-verse. With 102 dots so far bowled, Bell is that one destructor whose calculated approach has really made it tough for batters to break free. From the seven games that she played, Bell has claimed 11 wickets at an economy rate of 5.67. Numbers that can very well be mistaken for the longer formats, Bell is indeed turning into a machine whose discipline never falters.
Built on regimented discipline, Bell is all about hitting the same length over and over again. With the vicious movement of the new ball, she simply adds another layer of doom to her shiny repertoire of weapons.
