WARNE-ING FOR CRANE AFTER DECENT START
ASHES BOW FOR YOUNGSTER WHO CREDITS AUSSIE LEGEND AS HIS INSPIRATION
Mason Crane was inspired to take up cricket by Shane Warne but is hoping to avoid emulating the Australia great as he continues his Test debut at the SCG.
Warne’s part in the famous 2005 Ashes convinced a then eight-year-old Crane that life as an international leg-spinner was an ambition worth having.
As a 20-year-old, England’s latest debutant was able to reflect on an “awesome” experience on his first day as a Test match bowler.
There were no wickets but several near misses as Crane got used to bowling at prolific Australia captain Steve Smith, David Warner (56) and Usman Khawaja after England had been bowled out for 346 on day two.
After his first day of bowling, Crane’s figures of 17-0-580 were more promising than the one for 150 Warne recorded on debut against India at the same venue 26 years ago almost to the day.
Warne went on to take a remarkable 708 wickets in a record-breaking career.
Crane, asked whether he knew about the Austral- ian’s tricky debut, said: “I did ... (and) I’m hoping for slightly better figures. “He turned into a great bowler and I’m sure it was character-building for him.” As for his own first impressions of Test cricket, he said: “It was awesome. “I was naturally a little bit nervous, but I was also really excited, and I had great fun out there.”
Smith, who passed another mighty milestone when he reached 6,000 Test runs on his home ground, has gorged more than 600 in this series alone. But Crane found the edge of both his and Khawaja’s bats.
“He’s obviously played very well, scored a lot of runs, but he’s only human as well,” Crane said of Smith.
“That’s why we play the game ... to be bowling at some of the best players in the world.”
Meanwhile, former England spinner Graeme Swann was impressed with Crane’s debut.
“Trust me, when he says he played here before so that helps, nothing prepares you for your Test debut,” Swann told BT Sport.
“In front of 50,000 people, there were not 50,000 people when he played for New South Wales.
“I thought he coped with it beautifully and it was a very promising start.”
“I was naturally a bit nervous but also really excited” MASON CRANE