Mason Crane

Mason Crane is a promising young leg-spin bowler and right-hand batsman.

A product of Hampshire’s impressive youth system and supported by the Brian Johnston Memorial Trust through the BJMT Elite Spin Bowling Programme, Mason is regarded as one of the most exciting spin bowling prospects in the country.

Born and raised in Sussex, Mason was released by his home county at Under 14 level and taken on by Hampshire under the stewardship of former Hants spinners Darren Flint and Raj Maru with the latter stating he ‘could see he had something special when he first saw him as a 13 year-old.’

Through his development with Flint and Maru, Mason worked hard on developing and disguising more variations and the leg-spinner quickly became a regular for Hants at age group level and through to the Academy.

At age 18, Mason was given a surprise call-up to the Hampshire first-team for the NatWest T20 Blast match against Surrey in July 2015, impressively picking up the scalps of experienced pair Kumar Sangakarra and Vikram Solanki on debut.

From then, Mason enjoyed a hugely successful year at the Ageas Bowl and he became the youngest Hampshire player to take a five-wicket haul in the Championship when he finished with figures of 5-35 against Warwickshire at the Ageas Bowl.

Mason, who was awarded the Hilton at the Ageas Bowl Breakthrough Player of the Year Award at the end of the campaign, signed a new two-year contract with the club in October until the end of the 2017 season.

Alongside team-mate Brad Taylor, Mason has been named in the England Under 19s touring party to play a tri-series against Sri Lanka and India Under-19s in Colombo before Christmas.

Crane claimed 31 Championship wickets in 2016, playing in 12 matches and taking 3-19 from a furious spell with Tino Best in Hampshire's first victory of the season, winning by 69 runs against Nottinghamshire at the Ageas Bowl.

The leg-spinner took back-to-back seven wickets hauls for Gordon CC in Australia, which earned him a call-up to the New South Wales side for their Sheffield Shield clash in the winter. Crane became the first overseas player since Imran Khan in 1984/85 to play state cricket in Australia, and continued his form by impressing in the 2017 North vs South series in the UAE

Mason has been key to Hampshire's side, and was given his full England debut in June 2017, when he featured against South Africa in front of his home crowd at the Ageas Bowl, and is set for a bright future. He topped off a fine 2017 season by being named in England's Ashes squad in Australia.

More:

• See Mason's profile on ESPN CricInfo
• See a list of matches and detailed statistics for Mason on Cricket Archive
• Research Mason's career achievements on Player Oracle