Crane aiming to ‘spin the ball both ways’ in this summer’s T20 Blast

The 23-year-old Hampshire leg-spinner helped the Lions to an unbeaten record during white-ball part of the tour - highlighted by his three wickets against a New South Wales XI.

Crane’s 3-56 at the Drummoyne Oval in Sydney were the best figures in the match among players from either team.

It was a satisfying return to Australia for Crane, who made his Test debut in Sydney three

years ago but has since seen his progress stalled by a pair of back fractures.

After missing the entire 2018 T20 campaign through injury, he returned with a series of impressive one-day displays last summer.

He was the county’s third highest wicket-taker (14) as they reached the Royal London Cup final - only Kyle Abbott (20) and Liam Dawson (18) bagged more.

Crane was also 11 wickets in nine T20 games at 16.63 - the best average of any Hampshire bowler in the tournament.

The county finished third bottom of their qualifying group, though victory in their final game at rock bottom Glamorgan would have seen them finish fourth and scrape through to the quarter finals.

As it was, Essex claimed fourth place and eventually went on to win the silverware.

Crane impressed in his first full season of T20 action in 2017, finishing as the county’s top wicket-taker with 18 as they were beaten in the semi-final at Edgbaston.

Nown he is already plotting a return to Finals Day in Birmingham.

‘The last year or two we have not been as good as we can be so hopefully this year it all

comes together,’ Crane said.

‘The lads have been training hard or playing overseas (this winter) and they’ve all been

doing really well. I’m really looking forward to this year.

‘For me the role of a leg-spinner has come to the fore in the T20 era and it is important to

spin the ball both ways and spin it hard as well – hopefully spin the ball a long way both

ways.

‘That’s what I’m aiming to do. That’s exciting cricket.’

Hampshire are due to begin their 2020 T20 Blast campaign with an ‘El Clasicoast’ derby against Sussex at the Ageas Bowl on Friday, May 29.

However, the ECB last Friday postponed the start of the 2020 county cricket season until May 28 at the earliest due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Prior to the ECB’s statement, Crane said he was looking forward to the prospect of starting the Blast season in front of a packed crowd as Hampshire begin their bid for a record eighth Finals Day appearance.

‘There’s no place better - T20 at the Ageas with a home crowd behind you and fingers

crossed we’ll get a win with the crowd bouncing,’ he said.

‘Home games are brilliant and when we get to play against Sussex at El Clasicoast that is

amazing.

‘We normally get a good crowd and they’re a good side, we’re a good side. They’re the ones

that you look forward to and it’s the first one to kick off the Blast so it’s going to be

awesome.’

We can but hope the sporting world is back to something approaching reality by the time of that game.

Now, THAT would be awesome indeed ...