England seamer Cross out of Women's Ashes Test

England seamer Kate Cross has been ruled retired of the one-off Women's Ashes Test starting astatine the Melbourne Cricket Ground connected Thursday.

Captain Heather Knight confirmed that Cross, 33, had not sufficiently recovered from a backmost wounded that she suffered against South Africa successful December.

Cross was not portion of the T20 broadside for the Ashes bid but missed the 3 one-day internationals which opened the circuit with the aforesaid issue.

"Kate is beauteous overmuch adjacent to afloat fittingness now, but conscionable not rather astatine the gait and the show that we cognize she tin scope astatine her best," Knight told BBC Sport.

"A Test lucifer is 4 days, truthful she volition miss retired and it is simply a existent shame for her.

"She's a truly cardinal portion of our group, she loves playing Test lucifer cricket and she's been truthful hopeless to play. We're each truly disappointed for her that she hasn't been capable to marque it."

It is simply a important stroke for England arsenic Knight volition stay without her astir experienced seamer.

Knight did not uncover the England squad arsenic they were inactive deciding connected the bowling attack, but confirmed that they would beryllium playing an other batter successful Sophia Dunkley.

Lauren Bell, Lauren Filer and all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt are apt to signifier the seam attack.

England person mislaid each six white-ball matches connected the circuit truthful acold and are warring to debar a 16-0 cleanable sweep, which has ne'er been done earlier successful the multi-format series.

"There's a batch of wounded and disappointment astir however this circuit has gone," Knight added.

"We haven't shown what we are susceptible of arsenic a team, but we privation to bash that this week and amusement our quality to the fans that are present and watching backmost home."

A Test triumph is worthy 4 points and a gully 2 each.

England besides went winless successful the 2022 bid successful Australia but they finished with 4 points wide due to the fact that of a drawn Test and 2 T20 washouts.

Knight would not beryllium drawn into the statement surrounding her aboriginal arsenic captain, and did not corroborate whether she would stay successful the relation aft the decision of the series.

She has led the broadside since 2016 aft the status of Charlotte Edwards and has worn the dense load of England's disappointing performances connected the tour.

The Melbourne Test volition beryllium her 199th crippled successful complaint successful each formats.

"I'm conscionable concentrating connected this week," said Knight.

"There's been batch of vexation astir this circuit that we haven't performed however we privation to, and you ever instrumentality that connected your shoulders arsenic the person due to the fact that you're astatine the helm of it all.

"This week is simply a accidental for america to amusement our champion cricket and, immoderate happens aft that, we'll see."

On Tuesday all-rounder and vice-captain Sciver-Brunt said she would beryllium funny successful taking connected the captaincy if the accidental arose, but nary timeframe has been fixed astir the decision, with England retired of enactment until May aft the Ashes concludes.

There is besides speculation surrounding the aboriginal of caput manager Jon Lewis, who has besides made headlines successful the Australian media for his comments astir "climate benefits" which lend to the opponents' superiority successful athleticism.