The accolades keep coming for Katie Cross, a promising pace bowler from Lancashire. She won the Eversheds Most Promising Young Cricketer award in September 2007 (the sixth female in 60 years to do so) to add to being the first female in Lancashire's Academy, the previous year.

Cross, a 15-year-old pace bowler, first played aged eight. Five years later she was in Lancashire women's senior side and made her England Under-21 debut in 2007 and has been tipped for the senior side by no less than Gill McConway, who calls her "a very exciting young prospect" whose progression to England seniors she believes "will not be too far away if she continues to produce eye-catching performances."

Cross, who plays for Heywood CC, broke into the England Development side this summer and put in some highly impressive performances in the County Championships and for the Sapphires in the Super 4s. She first played aged eight, and went on to represent Lancashire under-13, under-15 and under-17, finally making her debut for the senior side - still aged 13.

Lancashire's Academy director John Stanworth says: "She is a very good bowler who is not fazed by playing against males. She bowls it at a good pace and is one the quickest around."

The daughter of former Bolton Wanderers striker David, she also plays netball for her school side.

Jenny Thompson September 2007