India Have Their Crosses To Bear In Finisher Kate

SITTING at 115-4 with an over to go, it seemed inevitable that India would pick up the three runs required to secure a comfortable victory in their t20 match against England.

- Kumail Jaffer

But up stepped Kate Cross, whose immaculate final six deliveries proved the player’s mettle and determination after oscillating fortune throughout her career.

Three dot balls, two wickets and a single run conceded off the last ball of a historic over exemplified the talent within the 27-year-old.

Instead of pressure, however, there was a liberating feeling for the England international.

“I just felt like I had nothing to lose,” she said.

“A bowler is always set up to lose in those situations. I discussed the tactics with Heather Knight and we knew we just needed to get a couple of dot balls to start off with.

“Thankfully, I bowled three in a row and created some pressure early on to put us in a good position.

“I felt the most pressure bowling that final ball because if that was off, the previous five balls would be forgotten quite quickly!”

Cross took a risk by bringing the keeper up to the stumps, but the stumping of Anuja Patil vindicated her decision.