Saturday, August 22, 2015

Building up Mason Crane



This blog has long taken an interest in the career of the Yorkshire leg spinner Adil Rashid. He will either make his England test debut against Pakistan in Sharjah later this year or never make it at all.

So it may be time to start talking up the next prospect: Hampshire's Mason Crane.

Cricinfo described his impact on a game earlier this year:
Mason Crane bamboozled Warwickshire to become the youngest Hampshire player to take a County Championship five wicket haul on Day Two at the Ageas Bowl. 
Leg spinner Crane, who is 18 and 171 days, beat Alex Kennedy's 106-year record by 21 days as he posted figures of 5 for 35. This is only his second first-class match after making his debut against Durham last month.
Already that sage judge Steve Harmison has called for him to be picked for England this winter.

I suppose one should counsel caution - I know there is a view at Sussex that Ian Salisbury was doing fine until the England coaching set up got hold of him - but it is hard not to be excited at the prospect of a young leg spinner in the England test team.

And if you want to feel old, turn to this report in the Southern Daily Echo:
As an eight-year-old only child glued to the 2005 Ashes series, Shoreham-born Crane was inspired by Warne’s mesmerising performances that summer. 
He has been hooked on leg-spin ever since.

No comments: