Lancashire County Cricket women’s bowler Kate Cross has been full of praise for the development of the women’s game after starting her first professional season with her childhood club.
Cross has been at the club since the start of her career in 2005 and expressed the honour she feels whenever she steps out on the hallowed pitch at Emirates Old Trafford.
She said: “I have loved cricket since I was a young girl, if I wasn’t playing, I’d be watching cricket somewhere.
“I still feel very privileged that I get to come out and play at an incredible ground [at Old Trafford] for a club which has given me so many opportunities.
“It is my first professional contract with the club.
“I have previously been with England and come back to Lancashire when I have had the opportunity, so to know I can have a full season here and call this club my home is pretty special for me.”
Bouncing back after last season’s personal woes
After a mixed season personally despite the team’s successes, Cross was optimistic the good times can continue this season.
She said: “Even though there were some ups and downs last year, I feel like there are still some brilliant times to be had here as well.”
Cross has played a part in all four of Lancs’ opening One Day cup matches this season after overcoming a winter where she lost her England central contract.
She said: “It has obviously been a different winter for me.
“Normally I’d be away with England and playing more cricket, so it’s been a shift in mentality for me to have a six-month period without cricket and I have found that challenging.”
It has been a challenging start for Lancashire Women’s after winning their opening One Day Cup match against Durham, losing the next three as their title defence started in a bleak manner.
Despite the defeat to Yorkshire on Saturday, Cross put in an impressive bowling display, taking four wickets, her first of the new season.
Previously, she had spoken about using last season’s personal struggles to return to form and start the season in fine fettle.
She said: “It has been a really challenging winter in some respects but also a really rewarding one.
“Big one for me is to just try and enjoy myself.
“Last year was a bit turbulent, had a few ups and few downs.”
The Old Trafford Factor
Having made her debut at Old Trafford over a decade ago, the feeling of playing at the iconic ground has not diminished for Cross.
Cross said: “[Playing at Old Trafford] when we look at the fixtures, it is always something I look to see.
“It is always a really enjoyable time to come here.”
Cross was full of praise for the advancement of the women’s game, with Old Trafford now feeling like home for the Women’s side.
She said: “We now have the away dressing room as it once was here, it is now our home dressing room.
“We have our own lockers, so it makes you feel more at home.
“I have always said it but if you put players on better grounds and pitches, then you will see better cricket and I think that is something we have seen with the tier one system.
“I think 90% of my games last year were played on a test match venue.
“It is an incredible place for the game to be because I think I was 23 years old when I made my first run-out at Old Trafford, so it has come a long way in the space of just ten years.”
World Cup Excitement
Despite losing her England Central contract, the former England vice-captain is excited for this summer’s home T20 Women’s World Cup.
England announced their squad for the tournament on Tuesday and Cross is hoping the squad can use the thrill of the home crowds to their advantage and win the World Cup again.
Cross said: “When you have a home World Cup, it is always going to be a big summer.
“It is going to be the lynch point of the summer for the women.
“That should be really exciting and I hope the girls are going to that with an incredible amount of anticipation and know some of the best times of their career are going to be had this summer.
“You should always see that as a positive thing.
“It will be great to see them do their thing.”
Building on last season’s team successes
It was a successful season for Lancs in 2025, winning both the One Day Cup and the T20 County Cup, falling short in the Vitality Blast.
Speaking on pre-season media day at Old Trafford, Cross set out demands to build on these triumphs and go one further under Chris Reed in 2026.
She said: “We had a pretty successful year last year, won two out of three trophies.
“We are going to try defend those trophies but the Vitality Blast is a big target for us this year.
“I know Chris Reed has challenged us to improve on our T20 cricket over the winter.”
She has challenged the team to continue this domination in the long-term, to inspire more children to enter the sport.
Cross added: “We don’t want to go out there and think we have won by chance or fluke, we want to make sure that we have a sustained period of success now and hopefully try and inspire more girls and boys to pick up a cricket bat in Lancashire.”
(Featured Image by Liam Fletcher)
