England’s preparations for the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 have been overshadowed by the shock omission of pace bowler Kate Cross, who described the decision as “savage” after being left out of the 15-player squad named for the marquee event.
The 33-year-old has been a regular feature of England’s 50-over setup in recent years, playing a key role with the ball while also providing depth with the bat. Since the 2022 World Cup, she has featured in 31 of England’s 45 ODIs, taking 39 wickets with the best of 6/30—the third-highest tally for her country in that period, behind only Charlie Dean’s 55 wickets and Sophie Ecclestone’s 50 wickets.
Despite that record, she finds herself on the sidelines as selectors opted for four specialist spinners in Sarah Glenn, Linsey Smith, Ecclestone, and Dean, alongside seamers Lauren Filer, Lauren Bell, and Emily Arlott.
Cross, who was dropped for the final ODI of the home summer against India and also missed the Ashes in Australia with a back injury, admitted the news left her stunned. Reflecting on her exclusion, she revealed, “What I’m really struggling to get my head around is it all feels like it’s happening so quickly. I’ve just clearly fallen out of favour with Lot [head coach Charlotte Edwards]. I haven’t processed it. It’s still really raw.”
For a player who has been part of England’s ODI core, not being considered even as a travelling squad member has been a particularly bitter pill to swallow. As Cross put it, “Being in the best XI is a different conversation but not being on the plane – it feels savage.”
Cross acknowledged the outpouring of support she has received since the announcement but insisted that the sense of rejection has been difficult to process. She admitted, “The messages I’ve had from everyone have been amazing. And ultimately, I’m not going to be playing some cricket – it’s minuscule in that sense. But it’s hard to take because I don’t feel like I’ve done enough to deserve not being on that plane.”
Her form this year has been steady, if not outstanding, with 3 wickets from 4 ODIs in 2025. She has also impressed in The Hundred, picking up eight wickets in six matches for Northern Superchargers. Still, with conditions on the subcontinent expected to favour spin, selectors turned to Sarah Glenn, who has taken 11 wickets in 9 ODIs since 2022, including 3/21 in her only appearance this year.
Cross admitted the uncertainty of her future role—possibly as a standby player—adds another layer of complexity to her emotions. As she explained, “That’s almost the hardest. If someone goes down, you might be playing in three weeks’ time in a World Cup. Then everything you feel right now is so confused and manipulated almost because you’ve got to spin it around.”
England will travel to the World Cup without Katherine Sciver-Brunt (170 wickets), Anya Shrubsole (106 wickets), and Cross (101 wickets)—three seamers who have carried the attack for much of the past decade. Together, they account for 377 ODI wickets, a remarkable tally of experience and match-winning know-how that will not be on the field in India and Sri Lanka.
While England’s new generation of quicks will be eager to step up, the absence of that vast reservoir of knowledge and composure could be telling in pressure situations. England will start its campaign against South Africa on 3rd October in Navi Mumbai.
(Quotes sourced from BBC No Balls Podcast)
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