Having graduated from Lancashire's Academy, 2005 was Cross' first year with the senior squad. Lancashire's veteran wicket-keeper Hegg was impressed by Cross, and said "He has a really good work ethic, and he listens when you talk about the game. He's the one in line to take over from me." Cross made his first-class debut on 25 May 2005, along with Steven Croft and Tom Smith in a match against Oxford University. He batted just once in the match, scoring two runs, although he dismissed five batsmen, one by stumping and four caught. His second opportunity to play first-class cricket came in the last match of the season; with Lancashire's stalwart Warren Hegg injured, Cross was given the responsibility of taking over as wicket-keeper. Playing in the County Championship for the first time, according to "The Wisden Cricketer" Cross "showed enough pure technique to deserve his chance to develop". Although Hegg retired at the end of the season, Lancashire quickly signed experienced wicket-keeper Luke Sutton from Derbyshire, hampering Cross' chances to regularly play first-team cricket. In the 2005/06 Australian cricket season, Cross travelled to the southern hemisphere to play for St Kilda Cricket Club in the Victorian Premier Cricket. He spent most of the season playing for the club's second team.