Kate Cross lost her England central contract, learning the decision before the Women’s Hundred after being dropped during the India ODIs and omitted from the World Cup. The 33‑year‑old seamer (8 Tests, 76 ODIs, 18 T20s; 140 wickets) described an emotional appraisal after a poor India outing (0‑60). Since then she has won The Hundred with Northern Superchargers and the One‑Day Cup with Lancashire. Themes: selection, setback, resilience, women’s cricket.