England seamer Kate Cross admitted persistent setbacks in an ongoing battle against a tropical disease has taken a toll on her mental health.
Cross has taken 106 wickets in 73 internationals and is hoping to feature in this summer’s multi-format Ashes series, starting with the only Test on June 22 at Trent Bridge.
But the 31-year-old explained on her BBC No Balls Podcast that she is on her ninth round of antibiotics to treat a parasite that has not only affected her physically but left her feeling despondent.
“I thought I was over this illness and it’s come back with a vengeance,” she said. “It’s my seventh relapse now. The lows have been drastically low.
“When you are playing sport and you are pulled out because of injury, you understand, but because it’s illness based, and every day is different, I’m struggling with that.
“It’s the most resistant thing the doctors have come across. I have found it difficult because I thought the end was in sight nine times now.”
It is believed Cross got the illness during a pre-season trip with Thunder, her domestic side based in the north-west, in Dubai before heading off to Mumbai shortly afterwards.
While she has played three matches in the 50-over Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy competition, Cross was unable to attend England’s pre-Ashes team bonding trip to the Lake District in the last week.
“It makes you realise we’re so close to the summer now and there’s an Ashes not far away and I am very not much ready for it and still really ill,” added Cross, speaking during Mental Health Awareness Week.
“It’s been relentless. You see small stepping stones with injuries but it’s not been like that with this.
“I haven’t left my flat for three days, other than to go to Liverpool to a tropical disease specialist lab.”
Cox replacement Bethell will bat at three for England Test debut
Jacob Bethell is set to bat at number three on his Test debut after replacing Jordan Cox as England open their series against New Zealand in Christchurch on Thursday.
The Warwickshire left-hander was called up after wicketkeeper Cox broke his right thumb in the nets during England’s warm-up game.
As such, England’s usual number three, Ollie Pope, will take the role of wicketkeeper and drop down the batting order to number six.
While Bethell has eight ODI caps and seven T20 caps for England, he was a shock choice for the Test squad, but one Joe Root is excited to see.
"The way his game sets up suits Test cricket. I'm really looking forward to watching him go out there and play. It's a really exciting time for him,” Root told BBC Sport.
"I've known him and his family for a long time. I saw him play when he was 11 or 12 years old and I could tell then he was already a very accomplished player.
“It's been really pleasing seeing him grow up, make his way at Warwickshire, then more recently in the white-ball stuff show everyone what a brilliant player he is.
"This is a great opportunity for him, a blank canvas in a position where he can really put influence on the game. He can just go play, enjoy it, and I expect him to do just that."
Root himself will become the fourth Englishman to reach 150 tests at fourth in the order, while Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett will open the batting.
England will hope to overturn poor test form, having lost their last series 2-1 in Pakistan. They have been defeated in three of their previous four Tests.
England XI for first Test: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ollie Pope (wk), Ben Stokes (c), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Shoaib Bashir.
West Indies on the brink of series win over Bangladesh
West Indies are on the brink of a 2-0 win in their Test series at home to Bangladesh, needing just three wickets on day five with the tourists requiring 225 runs.
Having reached 269-9 by stumps on Sunday, Bangladesh surprisingly declared overnight while 181 runs behind, leaving Taskin Ahmed to start the day with the ball in hand, rather than the bat.
That decision gave West Indies the chance to rack up another commanding total after they declared at 450 in their first innings, but they could only tag on another 152.
Taskin scalped six in the best bowling display of his red-ball career, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz trapped the hosts' top scorer Alick Athanaze (42) lbw as the Bangladesh bowlers gave their batters a chance.
However, they were not repaid as Miraz's declaration soon started to look ill-advised. Just five balls of Bangladesh's second innings were required for Kemar Roach – who ended the day with figures of 3-20 – to make the breakthrough for West Indies, getting an inside edge off Zakir Hasan (1).
Bangladesh struggled to build any momentum and Roach got two more wickets to leave the tourists 23-4, and while Miraz tried to get things going with 45 off 46 deliveries, he saw a thick edge snapped up by wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva for another crucial wicket.
Jayden Seales joined Roach in scalping three, and though Bangladesh made it to stumps with three wickets intact, they have an almighty task awaiting them on the final day.
Data Debrief: Taskin's efforts in vain?
When Taskin produced his brilliant six-wicket haul, it seemed for a fleeting moment as though Bangladesh's overnight declaration may have been a stroke of inspiration.
Taskin's figures of 6-64 surpassed his previous best red-ball inning figures of 4-37 versus Afghanistan last year, while he has now taken eight wickets altogether in the Antigua Test.
However, when Bangladesh slumped to 23-4 within 13 overs, Miraz was surely regretting his decision not to attempt to bat out Monday's morning session and bring the possibility of a draw into play.
Roach and Seales star as West Indies close in on Antigua Test victory
Kemar Roach and Jayden Seales shared six wickets between them as the West Indies moved within three wickets of victory on the penultimate day of the first Test against Bangladesh at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.
Bangladesh, set a target of 334, ended Monday on 109 for 7, still needing 225 runs for an unlikely win. Roach and Seales spearheaded the West Indies bowling effort, exposing Bangladesh’s frail batting lineup and leaving the visitors staring at defeat.
The West Indies had earlier struggled in their second innings, managing only 152 after Taskin Ahmed’s career-best 6 for 64 tore through their lineup. While the home side retained a significant lead, their inability to build on their commanding first-innings total of 450 for 9 left the door slightly ajar for Bangladesh.
Alick Athanaze top-scored for the West Indies in their second innings with a fighting 42, while captain Kraigg Brathwaite contributed 23. Joshua Da Silva (22) and Alzarri Joseph (17) also chipped in with small but valuable runs in a disappointing batting effort.
Bangladesh’s response got off to a disastrous start, with both openers falling cheaply. Zakir Hasan inside-edged Roach onto his stumps, while Mahmudul Hasan Joy edged Seales to third slip. Roach then delivered a superb setup to Shahadat Hossain, getting several deliveries to seam away before unleashing a vicious inswinger that grazed the glove and was caught by Joshua Da Silva.
Shamar Joseph endured a frustrating spell, with Mominul Haque dropped twice in one over—first by Da Silva down the leg side and then by Mikyle Louis at gully. However, Roach struck again to remove Mominul, taking a sharp return catch off a mistimed drive.
Joseph’s bad luck continued when Alick Athanaze dropped Mehidy Hasan Miraz at second slip, and Seales couldn’t hold onto a chance offered by Litton Das. Joseph eventually found success when Litton mistimed a pull and was caught at fine leg for 22, reducing Bangladesh to 59 for 5.
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