MATCH PREVIEW: Surrey v Lancashire, Women's Metro Bank One-Day Cup
Kate Cross believes Lancashire have been off colour in all areas during the first half of their Metro Bank One-Day Cup title defence.
Surrey v Lancashire
Women’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup
Saturday May 16, 2026, 10.30am
The Kia Oval
Squad to face Surrey Women
Ellie Threlkeld*, Darcey Carter, Danni Collins, Kate Cross, Grace Johnson, Eve Jones, Hannah Jones, Ailsa Lister, Fi Morris, Tara Norris, Maddie Penna, Grace Potts, Seren Smale
Lancashire have endured a challenging start to the new season, losing five of their opening seven 50-over matches, most recently against Warwickshire at Southport on Wednesday.
It has been made all the more frustrating given the outstanding summer the Red Rose had last year, triumphing in both the One-Day Cup and the Vitality County T20 Cup.
Fast bowler Cross and co currently sit second-bottom in the nine-team table having only won twice.
Next up is Surrey at the Kia Oval on Saturday, starting at 10.30am.
Surrey sit third in the table on 18 points, eight better off than Lancashire. Not only does this fixture mark the halfway point in the One-Day Cup campaign, it’s also the last one before a break to make way for the Vitality Blast T20, which starts next week.
Ironically, Lancashire’s opening game is back at the Oval against Surrey next Friday, the first part of a daily double header with the men’s sides.
Cross said: “One more game in this 50-over block and then we switch to T20, which I actually think will come at the right time for us with a little shift in format.
“We've been a bit light in all departments, really (in 50-over cricket).
“I think we’ve prided ourselves on our fielding, and we’ve probably been off the mark with that a little bit.
“Then, obviously, you lose the likes of Emma Lamb (to England). It shows how important she is to us. We’ve also had Gaby Lewis miss out with injury, and we’ve had to bring Maddie Penna in from Australia.
“It’s never easy taking a long-haul flight and coming straight into a team.
“We’ve probably been on the wrong end of a bit of bad luck in a way.”
Cross continued: “Ultimately, we were desperate to try and defend the trophy. We know there’s still a lot of cricket ahead to play, and we know it can turn pretty quickly.
“Chris Read (head coach) said to us in the dressing room after Warwickshire that last year we were on the right end of a lot of close games, and this year we’ve been on the wrong end of them.
“That’s cricket, unfortunately.
“We’ve got to keep trying to improve and try to narrow those areas where we’re getting it a little bit wrong. And I think that is all three facets of the game at the minute.”
Cross, herself, had an impressive day against the Bears at Southport with 34 and two wickets. The visitors, however, chased a 227-target inside the allotted 42 overs to win by four wickets.
Although the Surrey game is not must win mathematically - far from it, in fact - it is one Lancashire could realistically do with winning.
Cross added: “I think that's probably where we stood ourselves in great stead last year, because we were almost ahead of ourselves in terms of where we finished that first 50-over block.
“When you’ve only had two wins in seven games, it’s difficult.
“But there’s still over half a season left. We’ve got loads of cricket to play, and hopefully we can turn it around.
“The theme of the table this year is that it feels like everyone is beating each other, other than The Blaze, who’ve kind of run away.
“So, hopefully the door stays open for us and we can keep trying to get into those top-three spots.”
Surrey have so far won four, lost three. They beat Essex by three wickets chasing 228 at the Oval on Tuesday, with all-rounder Alice Monaghan taking two wickets with seam and contributing an opening 49.
Coached by Johann Myburgh, they are captained at present by all-rounder Alice Davidson-Richards, with regular skipper Kira Chathli on England ODI duty.
Jemima Spence is taking the wicketkeeping gloves in Chathli’s absence, with Danni Wyatt-Hodge looming as a dangerous presence in the middle order.
They also have Australian fast bowler Maitlin Brown as their overseas player.
Opposition player to watch
Australian fast bowler Maitlin Brown has been with Surrey as their overseas player for this opening block of One-Day Cup matches, which concludes today.
Brown, aged 28, is yet to play international cricket, though she has starred in the Big Bash for Sydney Sixers and with New South Wales in state cricket. She has also played for Australia’s A team.
The right-arm quick has impressed for Surrey, claiming 14 wickets from seven One-Day Cup matches so far, including a best of 4-57.
She needs one more wicket for 100 in her List A career.
Previous meeting
Lancashire completed the double over Surrey in last year’s One-Day Cup, winning at Southport by five wickets in early May chasing 297 and then by four wickets at Beckenham at the start of September chasing a 226-target.
It’s the latter we will be concentrating on here.
New-ball seamer Grace Potts impressed with 3-31 from 6.5 overs to help bowl inserted Surrey out for 225, with the spin of Hannah Jones and Fi Morris claiming two wickets apiece.
Coming in at 60-5, Kalea Moore impressed with 67 off 78 balls to at least give Surrey’s bowlers, of which she was one, something to work with.
Thankfully, though, it wasn’t enough, as Emma Lamb 59, Gaby Lewis 39 and Seren Smale, who top-scored with an unbeaten 67 off 70 balls, put the Red Rose in an unassailable position.
And victory was secured with four overs to spare.
;