Legspinner feels “responsibility” to enjoy his craft after month-long apprenticeship in the Hundred
Vithushan Ehantharajah15-Jul-2022In the players’ dining room of the Ageas Bowl, where there were once pictures of former Hampshire greats on the wall, there is now just one. Following the passing of Shane Warne in March, the collage was replaced by a mural of the legendary Australian, accompanied by one of his famous quotes: “Never give up. Just absolutely never give up.”Warne was associated with Hampshire between 2000 and 2007, captaining them from 2004, leaving an indelible mark on many who remain involved with the club at all levels. Much of the Big County Energy on the south coast emanates from his personality and what he achieved at the club. But in the tougher moments at the start of the club’s Vitality Blast campaign, with four defeats on the bounce, that quote and the image of the man himself were reminders of who they were.Hampshire went on to win 10 out of the next 11, including a 104-run demolition of a strong Birmingham Bears in the quarter-final. Victory in 2012 was their last successful run to the end, repeating a trick they managed in 2010. Given Hampshire’s pedigree in Twenty20 – Saturday will be their ninth appearance at Finals Day – two trophy lifts in the previous 19 campaigns rankles as underperformance. But there is an overriding desire for victory in 2022 to pay the perfect tribute to the county’s adopted Australian son.”Every day, you see him and his words on the wall,” Mason Crane tells ESPNcricinfo. “I guess he is a big part of it, really. A lot of his attitude towards the game and his way of the game has certainly been passed to a lot at the club. I’d like to feel he’s part of what’s going on at the moment.”Related
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It’s not for nothing that three of Hampshire’s key performers were around the club’s academy in the time of Warne. Captain James Vince (31 years old), allrounder Liam Dawson (32) and left-arm seamer Chris Wood (32) have continually been at the forefront of white ball success, as per this season with 653 runs, 17 wickets at an economy rate of 7.34, and 19 at 7.81 respectively.All three have been responsible for setting consistently high standards while ensuring the ethos laid down by Warne, fresh when they were around the first-team squad, is still being passed on. The impacts of younger players, such as Brad Wheal (21 dismissals) and outside recruits, such as James Fuller (20, along with 273 runs as a finisher, striking at 150.82) suggest it remains strong.It is Crane, however, who holds the strongest link. Not just as a legspinner who was inspired to throw himself into the craft after the 2005 Ashes, or even as one donning Hampshire colours. For six weeks last summer, as part of London Spirit in the inaugural season of the Hundred, Crane worked under Warne, who was head coach at the new team.Crane wheels away in celebration•PA Images/GettyIt was the first time they had consistent interaction, having first come across each other on the 2017-18 Ashes tour, in which Crane made what remains his one and (to date) only Test appearance. “London Spirit was every spinner’s dream,” Crane beams. “It was such a surreal experience. As fun as it’ll get, I imagine.”While Spirit’s campaign saw them finish last with a single win from their eight matches, Crane reflects on what was an intense, enjoyable education. The pair would spend almost every interaction focusing on Crane’s craft, often with Warne setting him hypothetical challenges and then offering up solutions while Crane was still pondering them.”He’d say to me: ‘If there’s a pitch that’s not going to spin much, what do you do?’ And then he’d go, ‘you’re just going to have to really spin one quite big in the first few balls’. I’d be like, ‘what do you mean?’ And he’d say, ‘Well, you’re going to have to spin one a long way to get in their head.'”I’d laugh and be like, ‘yeah, I’m f***ing trying mate!’ And you realise he’s just telling you what he used to tell himself when he was bowling. But he could do whatever he wanted.”They exchanged messages over the winter; almost all were Warne keeping track on how Crane was. The day Warne passed, Crane was devastated, tweeting his condolences in the afternoon. Even four months on, he struggles to comprehend the loss.
Shane Warne made me fall in love with the game as an 8 year old and he has completely inspired me every day since. I am so honoured and lucky to have been able to spend time with him and learn from him. He was everything I could have asked for and so much more. RIP to the King pic.twitter.com/wQDXuK7C1j
— Mason Crane (@masoncrane32) March 4, 2022