MATCH PREVIEW: Surrey v Lancashire Thunder
Lancashire Thunder team-mate Fi Morris believes Kate Cross is “getting better and better” after the England star brought up 200 senior career wickets for all Red Rose sides last Friday.
Surrey v Lancashire Thunder
Vitality Blast
Wednesday June 18, 2025, 2.30pm
The Kia Oval
Squad news
New-ball seamer Cross claimed three-for in Thunder’s Vitality Blast win over Somerset at Taunton, their third in six matches and one which leaves them on the fringes of the top four Finals Day qualifying places as the competition nears its halfway point.
In her 3-21 from four overs, Lancashire legend Cross brought up not one but two career milestones.
She claimed her 150th T20 wicket for all teams, including England. The 33-year-old also reached and went beyond 200 wickets for all Lancashire teams across both 50-over and T20 cricket.
That includes Lancashire’s women in the non-professional era of county cricket, Lancashire Thunder in the Kia Super League, Thunder in regional cricket and Lancashire in the ongoing professional era.
She now has 201 to her name since first pulling on the Red Rose in senior cricket.
Cross, and all-rounder Morris, will aim to further advance Lancashire’s cause when they face Surrey at the Kia Oval on Wednesday afternoon (2.30pm). The county are going for their third successive win and their fourth from seven in all.
“Crossy is pretty much the ultimate pro,” said Morris. “She's brilliant to have around the group as a senior player, but also as a wicket-taker up front. She rarely misses and rarely has a bad game.
“She’s absolutely Lancs through and through. Born and bred Heywood and has never played for another county. I think it’s 20 years since she first started playing senior cricket for the county, so that milestone will mean a lot to her.
“What an absolutely incredible servant for the club, and she just shows herself in the best light possible.”
Morris and Cross are close mates: “She’s hilarious,” said the former. “We've got a very similar sense of humour, which is probably why we get on so well.
“She’s a great friend but a brilliant competitor and a fantastic team-mate.
“Crossy’s probably closer to the later end of her career than she is to the beginning of it, but she’s not satisfied with where she’s at. She’s always trying new tricks and trying to get better.
“She's developed her slower balls, and I know she's developed an away-swinger over the last couple of years.
“I think, with the introduction of more T20 and 100-ball cricket around the world, she's really developed herself into more of a T20 bowler as well rather than just someone that was brilliant in 50-over cricket and Test Matches.
“She keeps getting better and better, and that’s testament to her as a person and as a professional.”
Cross was part of Lancashire’s double-winning side in 2017 in the non-professional era of women’s county cricket and, with the Vitality County T20 Cup title being secured at Taunton last month, has now added a pro title to her CV with the county.
“Everyone was quite emotional, actually,” reflected Morris.
“It's obviously been a long time coming, a lot of hard work and a lot of tears and disappointments along the way.
“It's not often that Crossy gets to come and play for Lancs. It's obviously been a bit more this year. But for her to be there on Finals Day and help us lift that trophy, and bowl so well, it was really important for her but also important for us as a group.”
Lancashire are preparing for a key 48 hours in their bid for a second Finals Day appearance this season. After Surrey, they travel to Leicester to face The Blaze on Thursday afternoon.
Surrey (22 points) are currently top of the table with five wins from six and Blaze (21 points) are second with four wins from six. Lancashire are fifth with 12 points.
“Two massive games coming up,” added Morris. “If we can come out of them with one or two wins, I think we'll be in a great position.”
Surrey’s five wins from six includes a two-run win on Duckworth Lewis Stern against Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford earlier this month when the visitors just got over the line in an 11-over chase of 86 which was oh so nearly different.
With rain falling and Surrey behind on DLS, Paige Scholfield hit a six to get them back in front before play was halted and subsequently abandoned with the visitors 62-4 after eight overs.
Captained by opening batter Bryony Smith, they have powerful Australian batter Grace Harris as their overseas player.
England opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge is the second leading run-scorer in the competition with 295 from six innings.
Opposition player to watch
Much like the signing of Alana King at Lancashire, Surrey’s capture of experienced Australian batting all-rounder Grace Harris was an eye-catching recruit.
Harris has played five times in this season’s Blast, including against Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford, and her debut performance in an opening day victory over Hampshire indicated her quality.
She hit 63 off 35 balls from number three and claimed three wickets with her off-spin. While you wouldn’t perhaps class her offies as frontline, they are more than useful.
Effervescent on and off the field - as many fans will have heard during her on-field interviews in Australia’s Big Bash League as a Brisbane Heat player - 31-year-old Queenslander Harris possesses immense power in the top order.
She is a regular in Australia’s T20 team, playing 54 times in that format, and has played 11 times in the ODI format. She is yet to debut in Test Cricket.
How’s Stat!
As aforementioned, talismanic seamer Kate Cross claimed three wickets in Friday night’s win over Somerset at Taunton, and her haul included two major career milestones.
The second of those - England team-mate Charlie Dean caught behind - was her 200th in competitive cricket for any Lancashire side, including Lancashire Women, Lancashire Thunder in the KSL days and Thunder in regional cricket.
The last of them, Alex Griffiths, was her 150th in all T20 cricket.