County cup

No Balls Podcast: England pace bowler Kate Cross has admitted she is still struggling to come to terms with losing her central contract, describing it as the “toughest week” of her career. The 33-year-old, who has taken more than 100 wickets across formats since making her debut in 2013, was told ahead of the Women’s Hundred that her deal would not be renewed for 2025.

“It’s probably been one of the toughest weeks I’ve had in my career,” Cross revealed on the No Balls Podcast. “I had my appraisal with Lott (head coach Charlotte Edwards) and Finchy [director of women’s cricket Jonathan Finch], and they just told me I won’t be getting my England contract renewed next year.

"So as of October 2025, I will not be a professional cricketer for England anymore. I’ve been dreading saying that. I feel sick. It is still very raw [...] and now I’ve got to play in what is normally the funnest tournament of the year, and I know it’s going to be a really tough few weeks for me,” she said.