The stripper is a flange member supported on the upright backboard of a crop harvesting header to span a gap between the backboard and a cross auger. The cross auger is supported above a draper on the header to assist in guiding the cut crop being conveyed by the draper to a central rear discharge of the header. The stripper flange member extends forwardly towards the cross auger at an upward inclination so as to be oriented at an angle of greater than 90 relative to a portion of the backboard of the header immediately below the stripper flange member. The stripper flange member is thus better oriented to guide cut crop which rises up the backboard to be deflected forwardly into the cross auger, instead of acting as a stop to accumulate cut crop thereon when the flange member is oriented perpendicularly to the backboard.