Manchester, Sep 16 (IANS) Lancashire Women will undergo a significant squad transition at the end of the 2026 season, with seven first-team players set to leave the club, including England great Kate Cross and all-rounder Fi Morris, who will both retire when their current contracts expire.
Seren Smale, Hannah Jones, Liv Bell, Alice Clarke and Danni Collins will also depart after reaching the end of their respective deals, bringing the curtain down on several notable Lancashire careers.
Cross leaves as one of the most decorated players to have represented the Red Rose. Having played for Lancashire across both the amateur and professional eras, she has made more than 200 appearances for the club and claimed 244 wickets. Her international career with England saw her make 102 appearances and take 140 wickets, while she also captained the national side in 2024.
Morris joined the club in 2023 and went on to make a significant contribution with both bat and ball. She accumulated more than 1,000 runs and took over 50 wickets for Thunder and Lancashire. Her impact was particularly evident in 2025, when Lancashire secured both the Vitality T20 County Cup and Metro Bank One-Day Cup.
Smale, another product of Lancashire’s pathway, leaves having passed 2,000 runs across formats for Thunder and Lancashire. Her 72 in last season’s One-Day Cup final proved particularly influential as Lancashire lifted the trophy.
Jones, a Manchester-born left-arm spinner and Red Rose Academy graduate, departs with 122 wickets for the club across formats. She played a key role in the 2025 One-Day Cup triumph, taking 14 wickets during the campaign.
Bell’s standout year came in 2023, when she made her Thunder debut and claimed 25 wickets across formats. The Scotland international was also part of her country’s squad at the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
Clarke, who made her Lancashire debut in 2018 after progressing through the academy, featured as an opener in both the semi-final and final of last season’s One-Day Cup campaign. Collins, meanwhile, made her debut at 15, 11 years ago, and leaves with 863 Lancashire runs and a career-best 51, alongside her contributions with the ball.
David Thorley, Director of Women’s Cricket at Lancashire, said, “We would like to extend our thanks to the seven players departing the Club at the end of the season. A massive congratulations goes out to Kate and Fi for what they have achieved throughout their careers. They have served the Club with distinction, and we wish them the very best of luck in their retirement. We would also like to wish Seren, Hannah, Liv, Alice and Danni well in their future cricketing endeavours. We thank them for their effort and commitment throughout their time with the Red Rose.”
--IANS
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