Doubt over Paine

Australia’s Tim Paine may be a doubt for the Boxing Day Test against England.

The wicketkeeper has not travelled to Melbourne with the rest of Steve Smith’s squad for personal reasons.

A Cricket Australia statement explained a further update on his plans will be issued in due course.

The 33-year-old was a surprise selection for this winter’s Ashes, ahead of Peter Nevill and Matt Wade, when he was recalled for this winter’s Ashes.

But he has been a success in front and behind the stumps as Australia have opened up an unassailable 3-0 lead. said: “I just don’t know. A couple of years ago, I thought I’d be struggling to play county cricket and now I’m on an Ashes tour, so I’m not going to put a limit on it.”

There are limits to his experience, but it is all relevant, notably two Twenty20 caps against South Africa last summer.

“In the second Twenty20 at Cardiff, (AB) de Villiers had a pop, hit a few away and you’re standing there not sure where to go,” said Crane.

“Jos Buttler, the captain, comes up; I ask him ‘Where do I bowl?’. He says ‘I dunno!’.

“So I felt under pressure there, but I came through it and that’s an experience I can use.”

Crane marked his first trip to Australia as a teenager last winter with such improvement in grade cricket that he was called in for a Sheffield Shield debut for New South Wales.

“When I left for Australia last year, if someone said I’d be here now, you probably would have said they were being silly,” he said.

The difference this time is all that extra attention.

One or two “had a pop” at a “young English” when he was playing for club side Gordon, but Crane added: “Most of the time, my grade team were winning, so they couldn’t say too much.”