England bowler Kate Cross believes that a significant cultural change is necessary for the England women’s cricket team to recover from their humiliating Ashes defeat. The team is focused on regaining the support of their fans and improving their performance on the field.
Cross acknowledged the overwhelming defeat against Australia, where they lost by a significant margin. Players and staff are currently awaiting the results of a review by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) regarding the tour’s outcome.
According to Cross, there are clear areas for improvement in their cricketing skills, but also in the team’s overall culture. She hopes the ECB review will address these issues, setting a positive direction for the future and inspiring young cricketers to aspire to play for England.
The Ashes result was particularly disappointing, especially after the excitement generated during the previous home Ashes series in 2023. In that series, England showed resilience by recovering from a Test defeat to draw the series by winning the limited-overs matches.
Cross expressed concern that the team may have lost fan support after their recent poor performance. She contrasted the positive experience of the 2023 Ashes with the negative outcome of the 2025 series, highlighting the wide gap between their best and worst performances.
The review, initiated by Clare Connor, the managing director of England Women’s Cricket, involves player interviews and is expected to release its findings later this month.
Cross offered a unique perspective on the tour, as she traveled with a back injury that prevented her from playing despite her efforts to regain fitness.
She recognized that professional athletes face scrutiny and expressed her hope for fans to reconnect with English cricket after a challenging period for both the women’s and men’s teams. The men’s team also faced an early exit from the Champions Trophy.
England failed to win any matches in the recent Women’s Ashes series and were thoroughly outperformed by Australia. Concerns were raised about the team’s fitness and mental strength, especially after a public disagreement involving former player turned commentator Alex Hartley.
Cross described their performance as “unprecedentedly poor” and admitted no one anticipated such a negative Ashes outcome. Despite the disappointment, she believes the review process can motivate the team to improve and become better individually and collectively.
Reflecting on her personal experience, Cross mentioned her frustration at missing out on playing in the Ashes series due to injury, especially considering her past success in Australia in 2013-14, which contributed to England’s Ashes victory.
Looking ahead, Cross hopes to manage her career effectively with the new county structure and expressed her desire to participate in future Ashes series.
Cross emphasized the importance of inspiring young girls to engage with cricket. She acknowledged that heavy defeats are counterproductive to this goal. She stressed the need for the team to redefine their image and reconnect with fans after feeling a loss of support following the recent Ashes series.
Her statements suggest a shift from the “inspire and entertain” team motto adopted since coach Jon Lewis’s arrival in 2022. This change in approach comes after a series of poor performances, including an early exit from the T20 World Cup.
Cross spoke at the launch of the Professional Cricketers’ Association Women’s Impact Report, which highlights progress in women’s cricket since 2020. This progress includes equal minimum salaries of £28,000 for domestic men and women cricketers and the integration of women’s teams into a three-tier county structure.
However, challenges remain, particularly regarding the gender pay gap in The Hundred competition. While top male players can earn £200,000 (a 60% increase), top female players earn £65,000 (a 30% increase). The base salary increase for men was also proportionally higher than for women.
Cross voiced her hope for a quick resolution to the pay gap issue, especially given player concerns. While acknowledging the disappointment, she recognized The Hundred’s positive impact on women’s cricket by raising its profile.
She hopes that increased investment in the game will lead to a reduction in the gender pay gap.
The PCA is advocating for improvements in The Hundred, which is set to receive significant private investment next season.
PCA Chief Executive Daryl Mitchell expressed surprise at the announced salaries and emphasized the need for better communication, noting discrepancies between initial proposals and the final salary structure. He indicated ongoing discussions with the ECB and their commitment to increasing salaries in the future, particularly with the new investment.
