Overview
- Kate Cross confirmed on Friday that she will retire from professional cricket at the end of the 2026 season.
- She leaves the game with 102 England caps and 140 international wickets, and more than 400 career wickets across domestic and international formats.
- Cross’s England central contract was not renewed after the 2024 season and she was not selected for England’s T20 World Cup squads, prompting a return to county cricket on a one-year Lancashire deal for 2026.
- This season she represented Sunrisers Leeds in The Hundred and played in the competition’s final before announcing her retirement.
- Cross framed the decision as the close of a career that helped professionalise the women’s game and said she is grateful to family, teammates and coaches and hopes to stay involved in cricket after playing.