Kate Cross To Call Time On Illustrious 15-Year England Career At End Of English Summer

England seamer Kate Cross has announced that she will retire from professional cricket at the end of the English summer, bringing down the curtain on a 15-year international career in which she earned 102 England caps across all three formats and established herself as one of the country’s most experienced fast bowlers.

The 34-year-old has been away from the England set-up since losing her ECB central contract in September last year. She finishes her international career with 101 wickets from 76 ODIs, while she also claimed 25 wickets in eight Tests and 14 wickets in 18 T20Is.

“This summer is going to be my last playing professional cricket,” Cross wrote in an Instagram post. “It's incredibly hard to imagine ever saying goodbye to playing the sport that has been such a huge part of my life and shaped me into the person I am today. But, the final chapter is in sight.”

Cross's journey in cricket began in Lancashire, where she joined the county's junior set-up at the age of 13. Two years later, she became the first girl to be admitted to the Lancashire Academy. She made her senior debut for Lancashire in 2005 and went on to spend much of her career with the county.

Her first England call-up came for the 2011 Ashes, but she had to wait two more years to make her international debut. Cross made her T20I debut against West Indies in 2013 before making her ODI bow on the same tour. She immediately made an impact in the 50-over format, taking 4/51 in Barbados to earn the Player of the Match award.

Cross made her Test debut during the 2014 Ashes in Perth and made a strong start to her red-ball career. She took three wickets in each innings as England won the one-off Test. A year later, she produced her best bowling figures for England, returning 5/24 against New Zealand in Lincoln.

While her international career was the centrepiece of her playing journey, Cross also featured prominently in domestic and franchise cricket. She represented Brisbane Heat in Australia's Women's Big Bash League and was part of Lancashire Thunder from the beginning of the women's competition.

She received an ECB central contract in 2019 before later taking on the captaincy of Manchester Originals in The Hundred.

Cross has continued to play domestic cricket despite being out of the England set-up. She recently returned to action with Sunrisers Leeds in The Hundred and will spend the rest of the English summer with Lancashire before ending her professional career.

Reflecting on her decision, Cross spoke about the significance of being able to pursue cricket professionally and the people she met throughout her journey.

“I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to play the game I love professionally and get to do it at the highest level,” she wrote. “But I'm even more fortunate to have met the people I have along the way. I have memories that will last a lifetime which I'll forever be thankful for.”

Cross's retirement will bring an end to a playing career that began with Lancashire as a teenager, developed through the England pathway and eventually saw her become a three-format international.

After more than two decades in the domestic game and 15 years representing England, she will now prepare for the final chapter of her career on the field.