The reason England bowler Kate Cross is so disappointed and bewildered. She has subsequently been dropped from the side which will contest the forthcoming Women’s World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Everybody knows Cross for her grace, experience and killer skill. She has taken 101 ODIs wickets in 76 ODIs and was expected to lead the attack as their spearhead in the tournament. Her recent form and fitness struggles have seen her left out.
Cross, who opened the bowling in the first game of last month’s ODI series against India, has endured a challenging season. Even with that pressure, he’s still forging ahead. The summer of 22 proved difficult, too, as she managed just three wickets in four appearances. She was in the process of recuperating from a back injury that severely hindered her game. This injury forced her to miss England’s 16-0 Ashes loss on Australian soil earlier this season. Questions about her fitness and form started to emerge.
So I was,” Cross told The Athletic about being cut from the 2019 World Cup roster. She knew something was off when she didn’t get picked to play in the opener against India. Even with her trials, she felt like she had done enough to earn a spot on the team.
Cross reflected on her exclusion, stating, “Not being on the plane – it feels savage.” She admitted that she struggled to process the decision, noting, “I’ve just clearly fallen out of favour with Lot [Edwards]. I haven’t processed it. It’s still really raw.”
At the same time, while conceding to the competitive selection process, Cross pointed out that being included in best XI is another conversation. “Being in the best XI is a different conversation,” she said. The selection committee opted for other bowlers, including Nat Sciver-Brunt, who is expected to be fit enough to bowl, as well as Em Arlott, Lauren Bell, and Lauren Filer.
Cross’s sentiments are doubly made poignant by the abrupt and sudden nature of such team shake-ups in sports. “What I’m really struggling to get my head around is it all feels like it’s happened so quickly,” she remarked. Though disappointed by the loss, she holds out hope that her experience can still be put to use, should the chance arise. “I could be playing in three weeks’ time in a World Cup if someone goes down,” she noted.
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