England seamer Kate Cross has confirmed that she will retire from professional cricket at the end of the English summer, closing the book on a distinguished career that saw her become one of the country’s most dependable bowlers across formats.
Kate Cross calls time on an outstanding England career
The 34-year-old will bring an end to a 15-year international journey during which she represented England 102 times across Tests, ODIs and T20Is. Although Cross has not played for the national side since 2025 after losing her ECB central contract, her contribution to English cricket remains significant. Cross finished her international career with 101 wickets in 76 ODIs, while she claimed 25 wickets from eight Tests and 14 wickets in 18 T20I appearances. Her announcement marks the end of a journey that began with an England call-up for the 2011 Ashes before she eventually made her international debut in 2013.
“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 said as quoted by Cricbuzz.
A career built around Lancashire
Cross’s connection with Lancashire stretches back almost two decades. She entered the county’s junior system at just 13 and became the first girl to gain admission to the Lancashire Academy two years later. Her senior debut for Lancashire came in 2005, and she remained closely associated with the county throughout her playing career. She also became part of Lancashire Thunder when the women’s competition was introduced.
Her England breakthrough eventually arrived on the 2013 tour of the West Indies. Cross made her T20I debut before making her ODI bow on the same trip. She immediately announced herself in the 50-over format, producing figures of 4/51 in Barbados to earn the Player of the Match award.
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Test impact and a career beyond England
Cross made her Test debut during the 2014 Ashes in Perth and wasted little time making an impression. She took three wickets in each innings as England secured victory in the one-off Test. Her best international bowling figures came in 2015, when she returned 5/24 against New Zealand in Lincoln. Alongside her England and Lancashire commitments, Cross also gained experience overseas, featuring for Brisbane Heat in Australia’s Women’s Big Bash League. She received an ECB central contract in 2019 and later took on a leadership role with Manchester Originals in The Hundred.
Cross has recently returned to domestic cricket with Sunrisers Leeds and will spend the remainder of the summer playing for Lancashire before officially ending her career. Reflecting on her journey, Cross said she felt so fortunate to have played the sport professionally and at the highest level. She also highlighted the people she met along the way, describing the memories created throughout her career as something she would remain grateful for.
With one final summer ahead, Cross now has the opportunity to say goodbye to the game on her own terms and celebrate a career that helped shape modern women’s cricket in England.
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This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
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