Mason Crane credits Stuart MacGill for his rise

England leg-spinner Mason Crane has credited the former Australian leggie Stuart MacGill for his rise in his career so far. The youngster might debut in the upcoming Ashes against Australia down under as the preferred spinner Moeen Ali is recovering from the sore side. He also bowled well in their tour game last week and is looking forward to the four-day game under lights against Cricket Australia XI which will commence on Wednesday. However, Crane insists that the team wants to win the Ashes.

The 20-year-old leggie has so far only played T20 Internationals for England and has picked a solitary wicket. But he has impressed everyone with his variations with the red ball and has bamboozled the batsmen at domestic level. In his short career, he has scalped 70 wickets in just 27 matches. The legendary leg-spinner from Australia Shane Warne is his idol and the youngster would be looking to emulate him down under in the upcoming months.

He was a big influence

Mason Crane has already spent some time with Warne and has sought advice from the legend. He would look to put it into the use against his own country now in the Ashes series. Though Stuart MacGill is the main person and the real mentor of the youngster in his rise so far. The former Australia leggie guided Crane through last winter when he became the first overseas player in 32 years to turn out for New South Wales.

“Stuart was a big influence. I had a great time with him, working hard and getting a lot out of it. He was as passionate as anyone I’ve seen when they talk about bowling, that came across even when I spoke to him over coffee. We worked on a couple of technical things — but a lot of it was mental,” he said as quoted by The Sun.

England has failed to produce leg-spinners in the longest format of the game and Crane would hope now that he breaks the jinx by helping his side win the prestigious Ashes down under. “Any way I can contribute and play as much as I can will be great,” he added.