Anything Darren Gough and Freddie Flintoff can do Ali Bell can do as well.

And the Ipswich fast bowler's two greatest idols would have been proud of her as she scooped the top prize in the over-18 female catagory at this year's NatWest Speed Stars Final in the ECB's Loughborough National Academy.

Bell, 29, who commutes from Colchester to London every day for her job as a production manager with HSBC, took the honours with a top speed of 51mph.

"And I did it off my indoor run-up of only four steps," she gleefully told the Gazette.

Just to complete her big day she also met her hero, legendary England and Essex paceman Gough, along with England women's all-rounder Laura Harper, who were on hand to give advice and encouragement to all the finalists.

An elated Bell said: "It was a brilliant surprise and a fantastic day and Darren's a bit of a god in my eyes."

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Published Thursday, September 22, 2005

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