The Kate Cross and Alex Hartley relationship is a close friendship and creative partnership rooted in English cricket. The former England players have shared dressing rooms, faced each other as opponents and built No Balls: The Cricket Podcast together. Its official description calls them “teammates, rivals and best mates,” while Hartley has named Cross as one of her closest friends. The documented connection is platonic and professional, not a confirmed romance. What makes their partnership compelling is the history behind the jokes: career changes, disagreements, retirement, health struggles and a shared ability to discuss cricket without losing the personality of the people who play it.
| Key detail | Answer |
|---|---|
| Nature of their relationship | Close friends, former teammates and media collaborators |
| Cricket connection | Both represented England and played in the Lancashire/Thunder system |
| Shared project | No Balls: The Cricket Podcast |
| Podcast launch | December 2019 |
| Alex Hartley’s playing career | Former England left-arm spinner and 2017 World Cup winner; retired in 2023 |
| Kate Cross’s playing career | Former England seam bowler with 102 international caps and 140 wickets; retired in September 2026 |
| Romantic relationship? | No reliable source identifies them as a couple |
Hartley made 32 appearances for England and was part of the 2017 World Cup-winning side. Cross completed her career with 102 England caps and 140 international wickets.
What Is the Relationship Between Kate Cross and Alex Hartley?
Cross and Hartley are best friends whose relationship developed through cricket and later became a broadcasting partnership. The clearest description comes from the show they host: the current No Balls listing introduces them as former teammates, rivals and best mates. The Guardian has also identified Cross as Hartley’s best friend, and Hartley herself called Cross one of her closest friends in an interview with The Cricketer.
Those descriptions matter because friendly chemistry can easily be misread when two well-known people share personal stories and tease each other in public. Cross and Hartley have not presented themselves as romantic partners. A factual account should therefore describe their connection as friendship, sporting history and professional collaboration.
Cricket Gave Their Friendship Its Foundations
Both women came through cricket in Lancashire, although their playing paths were not identical. Cross became the first girl to join Lancashire’s academy and went on to play for England in all three international formats. Hartley, a slow left-arm spinner, represented England in 32 white-ball internationals and played a significant role in the 2017 Women’s Cricket World Cup triumph.
Their friendship was not built on constant agreement. Hartley has recalled that Cross was furious when she left Lancashire for Middlesex in search of Division One cricket. Hartley said they barely spoke for about three years. The story adds useful context: this was a real friendship capable of surviving professional choices and a long disagreement, rather than a media pairing assembled for a microphone.
They later occupied several roles in each other’s careers. They were teammates in Lancashire and England environments, opponents when franchise assignments separated them, and sounding boards away from the field. Their different bowling disciplines also gave them distinct perspectives: Cross approached the game as a seam bowler, while Hartley understood it as a spinner.
How No Balls Turned a Friendship Into a Media Partnership
Cross and Hartley launched No Balls: The Cricket Podcast independently in December 2019. The show joined BBC Sounds in 2021, bringing their informal mix of cricket analysis, dressing-room stories, guests and humour to a wider audience. It continued as an active show in 2026 through No Ratings Studios and Acast.
The programme works because neither host has to manufacture familiarity. Their shared history lets them challenge each other, revisit old stories and move between serious analysis and deliberately chaotic conversation. Listeners hear two former elite players speaking with professional authority but without the formal tone of a television panel.
The podcast has also become a record of major career moments. Hartley announced her retirement from professional cricket on No Balls in August 2023. The International Cricket Council documented both the announcement and Cross’s role as co-host. The England and Wales Cricket Board later published a conversation in which Hartley reflected on retirement with Cross.
Mutual Support Is Central to Their Bond
The joking tone of No Balls is only one part of the partnership. In May 2023, BBC Sport featured Cross and Hartley discussing friendship, mental health and how they support each other. That conversation showed why their rapport carries weight beyond entertainment: each understood the pressures of professional sport, selection, illness and identity after cricket.
Their careers did not end at the same time. Hartley retired in 2023 and moved further into commentary and coaching. Cross continued playing until September 2026, finishing with 102 England appearances and 140 international wickets. Their collaboration endured as their professional lives changed, giving the podcast a perspective that spans active competition, retirement and work in cricket media.
Key Moments in the Cross–Hartley Partnership
| Period | What happened | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Early county careers | They formed a friendship through Lancashire cricket, later enduring a lengthy falling-out after Hartley moved to Middlesex | Their bond predates their media work and survived genuine disagreement |
| England years | Both became England internationals, with Hartley playing from 2016 to 2019 and Cross building a longer multi-format career | Shared elite-level experience shaped their cricket discussions |
| December 2019 | They launched No Balls independently | Their private rapport became a public creative partnership |
| May 2021 | The podcast joined BBC Sounds | The show gained a larger national platform |
| 2023 | They spoke openly about mental health; Hartley later announced her retirement on the podcast | The show became a place for candid, consequential conversations |
| September 2026 | Cross completed her final professional season while the podcast remained active | Their partnership continued beyond both playing careers |
What Makes Their Partnership Distinctive?
Cross and Hartley offer more than two recognizable names discussing match results. Their appeal comes from a combination of lived expertise and an unpolished friendship. They can explain tactics, selection and dressing-room culture, then acknowledge the anxiety, disappointment or absurdity that accompanies elite sport.
Their history also prevents the relationship from feeling one-dimensional. They have been allies and opponents, close friends and estranged friends, active players and retired broadcasters. That range gives their conversations a perspective few conventional presenting teams can reproduce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Kate Cross and Alex Hartley a couple?
No reliable source identifies Kate Cross and Alex Hartley as a romantic couple. They are consistently described as best friends, former teammates and co-hosts of No Balls: The Cricket Podcast.
Are Kate Cross and Alex Hartley related?
They are not identified as relatives. Their connection comes from cricket in Lancashire, their time in the England setup and their work together in broadcasting.
How did Kate Cross and Alex Hartley become friends?
They became close through cricket. Both were part of the Lancashire pathway and later shared professional environments. A 2020 SportSpiel interview described their friendship as beginning with an actual car crash, an anecdote that inspired Cross’s joking label for their “car crash” friendship.
Did Kate Cross and Alex Hartley play together for England?
Yes. Their England careers overlapped after Hartley made her international debut in 2016. Hartley played 32 white-ball matches for England, while Cross represented the country across Tests, one-day internationals and T20 internationals.
What is the No Balls podcast about?
No Balls combines cricket discussion with interviews, personal stories and humour. The hosts draw on their experiences as England players while speaking in the relaxed style of long-time friends.
Do Kate Cross and Alex Hartley still work together?
Yes. As of September 2026, current podcast listings show new No Balls episodes hosted by Cross and Hartley, even though both have finished their professional playing careers.
Conclusion
The Kate Cross and Alex Hartley relationship is best understood as a durable friendship shaped by elite cricket and extended through broadcasting. They have been teammates, rivals, confidantes and podcast partners, with enough trust to discuss both comic mishaps and difficult career moments. Their public work supports a clear conclusion: they are close friends and collaborators, not a confirmed romantic couple.
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