MATCH PREVIEW: Lancashire Women v Essex Women, Metro Bank One-Day Cup

Lancashire Women v Essex Women
Metro Bank One-Day Cup
Wednesday July 30, 2025, 10.30am
Sedburgh School

Cross played a prominent role as the county won the Vitality County T20 Cup at the start of the summer, and they have every chance of adding to that before 2025 is done.

Despite defeat at Durham last Thursday, by 89 runs chasing 258, Lancashire are well placed in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup having won six of their nine matches. 

With five to play, starting against Essex at Sedbergh School on Wednesday - 10.30am, they are third in the table and with a seven-point gap to fifth place in the race for the semi-finals.

This is the last game before the break in the county schedule for the Hundred.

“Everything’s set up for a great summer,” said Cross. 

Seamer Cross was part of the Red Rose team which won the T20 and 50-over double in 2017, back in the days of the old, non-professional, county structure.

But in late May she claimed her first trophy as a professional with the county, beating The Blaze in the semi-final at Taunton and then Surrey in the final. 

“I was really emotional on that day because of that,” she said. “Having your first professional trophy felt really, really special. 

“We beat some very tough opponents to get to Finals Day and then Blaze and Surrey once we got there. We’ve seen how great those two teams are. It shows we have the capability to beat the best teams in the country.

“It was a fantastic day. Mark Chilton came down when he was right in the middle of all the Dale Benkenstein stuff with the men, Daniel Gidney was there too. It felt like the whole club were supporting us, and it was just a really nice thing.

“To be able to come back with the trophy was great, and we want to have that feeling again.”

Having spoken about the short-term, Cross has also been looking at the long-term. 

Earlier this summer, the 33-year-old reached 200 career wickets for all Lancashire teams since debuting aged 13 in 2005.

Still a key figure in England’s drive for success, she seems to be getting better and better with age. She has a few years on him yet, but there are definite comparisons with Sir James Anderson in that sense.

“I don’t really like comparing myself to Jimmy,” she laughed. “He’s very, very skilful.

“But I do think there’s a similarity in the hunger.

“You naturally get asked about things like retirement when you turn 30, and I know he’s got quite annoyed with journalists asking him about that.

“For me, though, as long as I'm enjoying the game and feel like I'm contributing to the team, I’ll go on as long as I can. 

“It’s also a brilliant time to be involved in the game.

“It's hard to think about finishing playing when you know that things are changing and evolving and moving and getting better every time you turn up to do pre-season with Lancs.

“That’s the excitement for me.

“It's knowing that things are ever-changing and evolving. 

“Why would you not want to stay a part of that for as long as you possibly can?”

While Lancashire are very much in the mix for 50-over silverware, Essex need a miracle. 

A good number of their side, plus their coaching staff, won the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy title - the regional equivalent of the Metro Bank One-Day Cup - with the Sunrisers team last September.

But they have only won one of their nine games so far this term and sit bottom of the table, 14 points behind fourth-place Surrey, who currently hold the last semi-final qualifying spot.

As Lancashire were beaten by Durham at the Riverside last week, Essex had their game with Somerset at Chelmsford abandoned because of rain just before its midway point with the visitors on 312-6 in the 50th over of their innings.