BURY cricketer Kate Cross was part of a frustrated England side after India’s lower order scuppered their chances of a first Test victory on home soil since 2005 in the drawn game at Bristol.

A tremendous 104-run partnership for the ninth wicket between Sneh Rana and Taniya Bhatia secured the draw for the visitors, with England unable to break through and start a run chase on the final day.

The game was brought to a close with 12 overs left as the players shook for the draw with India on 344-8 in their second innings and leading by 179 runs.

Seamer Cross, the daughter of former Wanderers striker David, finished with one wicket in the match on her first Test appearance for six years.

The red ball has been on the periphery of the women’s cricketing calendar, with just eight Tests worldwide since 2011

And England captain Heather Knight felt her side were “almost robbed” of a thrilling finish because their one-off Test match was only four days.

“I’d definitely be open to it (a five-day women’s Test match),” Knight said.

“I think generally over rates are pretty good in women’s cricket and obviously we didn’t quite get all the overs in that we should have done in this match, but I think if there was another day, what a finish that would have been.

“We were almost robbed of that finish because there wasn’t an extra day and we didn’t have the time in the game, so something that I would definitely be open to.”