Kate Cross embracing England transformation | The youngsters are ‘fearless’ | Cricket News

Kate Cross says she is more than ready to embrace a new “attacking” style of cricket with England.

England are currently in the West Indies in preparation for three one-day internationals and five T20 games, a schedule starting on December 4 under the leadership of new head coach Jon Lewis, who has replaced Lisa Keightley.

Lewis recently said he is focused on refreshing the side’s brand of cricket, and Cross has been embracing the “mindset” change and is ready to play “aggressively” in somewhat of a similar transition to the men’s red-ball team under Brendon McCullum.

“I think obviously there is some work to be done when you first have a coach and you have got to get to know them as a person and how you operate and how they operate,” said Cross.

“He is kind of working his way around the group and having one-to-ones and getting to know people, so he has been really positive so far.

“It has been really nice to have a fresh set of eyes on the group.

“Obviously he has been very vocal about how he wants us to play, and he has come from the men’s game where he has seen the white ball transition and this summer of red-ball transition as well and how they have been playing their cricket.

“He sees no reason why we can’t do similar. It is going to be a big mindset shift for us as a team and to be fair to Heather and Lisa, that was something we brought in at the back end of our summer just gone.

“It is not brand new messaging to us, it is something we wanted to start doing before Lewis came in and I think Lewis will help us make sure that messaging stays consistent and those goals as a team stay consistent as well.

“His messaging is pretty simple at the moment-look to take wickets and be aggressive and how do we do that individually.

“It is just knowing our game plans really well and being really positive and having that attacking mindset.”

I don’t want to be “stuck in my ways”

With so much change on the horizon, Cross knows she will be challenged, but is ready to show her seniority is no barrier to “moving with the times”.

“It does kind of feel like my role has changed but I don’t want that to change how I play or how I am around the group,” she added.

“Naturally, as a 31-year-old, you are a senior member now so you kind of take that responsibility with your age, I think.

“I think the thing I have noticed with the youngsters is just the lack of fear they have when they play.

“Sometimes I think players from my generation could have been doing that, but it was a bit behind the scenes.

“That for me is what is exciting, they don’t care who is bowling at them or who they are bowling at.

“I think if you’re not willing to move with the times then you are going to get stuck anyway.

“So, if I can get ahead of that curve now then it is pretty handy for me as a player.

“We have got such a big unit now and a really exciting unit, it will be up to us more as a unit now how we approach the game.

“You don’t want to be that old senior pro who is stuck in their ways.”

Nat Sciver and Heather Knight bring vital experience

Despite so much focus on up-and-coming talent, Cross remains adamant England will succeed with a mix of youth and experience, Nat Sciver and captain Heather Knight remaining vital cogs in the side.

“It felt like a really young squad at the back end of the summer, (Freya) Kemp and (Lauren) Bell in the bowling attack was brilliant, they bring so much youth and energy and they are brilliant, but I think when you miss two senior players like that, you can sense it in the group,” Cross said.

“It is always great to have your big players back as well and they were definitely missed at the back end of the summer.

“But what it has done is that there has certainly been opportunities for those young players to step in and kind of have the roles that Nat (Sciver) and Heather (Knight) and Katherine (Brunt) had.

“It is great now because it feels like there is a real sense of depth within the squad that people can step up and do those roles if big players do go down, so that is a really exciting prospect for us as a squad.

The ODIs come first with games in Antigua on December 4, 6 and 9, before the first T20 is held at the same venue on December 11 and Barbados then hosts the final four matches on December 14, 17, 18 and 22.

The ODIs all start at 6pm UK time with the T20s getting under way at 10pm UK time.

England Women in West Indies

Sunday, December 4: First ODI, Antigua (6pm UK time)

Tuesday, December 6: Second ODI, Antigua (6pm UK time)

Friday, December 9: Third ODI, Antigua (6pm UK time)

Sunday, December 11: First IT20, Antigua (10pm UK time)

Wednesday, December 14: Second IT20, Barbados (10pm UK time)

Saturday, December 17: Third IT20, Barbados (10pm UK time)

Sunday, December 18: Fourth IT20, Barbados (10pm UK time)

Thursday, December 22: Fifth IT20, Barbados (10pm UK time)