England fast bowler Kate Cross loses central contract
The 33-year-old seamer, who has led England's seam attack since 2023, learned of the decision on the eve of The Hundred; she has taken 140 international wickets across eight Tests, 76 ODIs and 18 T20s.
England fast bowler Kate Cross has lost her central contract with England, a decision she learned of on the eve of the Women’s Hundred in August. The 33-year-old, who has spearheaded England’s seam attack since the retirement of Katherine Sciver-Brunt in 2023, was dropped during this summer’s one-day series against India and was not selected for the forthcoming World Cup.
Cross has played eight Tests, 76 ODIs and 18 T20s for England since her debut in 2013, taking 140 international wickets. She is one of eight English women to reach 100 ODI wickets, and her ODI strike rate of 33.4 has previously been highlighted as one of the better marks among England’s current attack, with only Sophie Ecclestone posting a lower rate at 32.2. The pace bowler was part of England’s Ashes-winning squad in Australia in 2013-14, a run she missed on the most recent tour Down Under due to a back injury. She later returned to ODIs against the West Indies but was dropped after figures of 0-60 in the first ODI of a series that England narrowingly lost 2-1.
On the BBC’s No Balls podcast, Cross explained that the appraisal process followed the India series by roughly a week or so. She described walking into the meeting with a notebook full of stats, only to be told within minutes that her contract would not be renewed. She recalled that she had cried before the meeting, then composed herself, but the news hit hard and felt like a swift erosion of trust after years of being relied upon in big moments. The session, she said, was extremely swift and harsh in its outcome.
Since receiving the news, Cross has continued to perform at domestic level. She helped Lancashire to success in the One-Day Cup and later won The Hundred with the Northern Superchargers, underscoring that her impact extends beyond international color and into long-running domestic competitions. Across 12 years in international cricket, she has remained a consistent presence for England when called upon, and her experience was a staple of the England pace department during the post-Sciver-Brunt era.
Cross’s career, marked by longevity and a steady wicket-taking ability, reflects the ongoing evolution of England’s bowling stock. Her departure adds to a broader recalibration of the national team’s pace options as coaches and selectors balance youth with proven operators. Given her domestic success and the still-strong record of 140 international wickets, Cross remains a fixture in English cricket discussions about how to maintain depth in the fast-bowling department as England prepares for future international windows.