Glamorgan's Crane eyes success with Welsh Fire

Mason Crane has made one Test and two T20 appearances for England.

After a stellar season so far with Glamorgan, leg spinner Mason Crane has set his sights on lighting up Sophia Gardens with Welsh Fire.

Crane, 27, joined Glamorgan on loan from Hampshire in March before agreeing a permanent move to Wales earlier this month.

His form, particularly in the T20 Blast, has earned him a spot in The Hundred for a fourth year running - but this year he will be switching colours to red.

“It’s a great competition and in the first three years, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it with London Spirit,” Crane said.

“But the chance to move to Welsh Fire is awesome. I’m looking forward to playing in the competition with a different perspective and a different team this year. It’s really exciting.”

Crane’s move to Glamorgan has been productive, with the leg-spinner showcasing his ability in both the County Championship and the T20 Blast.

“I’ve loved every minute of it,” he said. “The crowds have got better and better as the summer has gone on and it’s been awesome to play in front of them. I’m hoping for more of the same in The Hundred.

“I’ve been living in Cardiff the whole time, so I’ve been wandering around a lot. It’s a great place to come and play. I’m really enjoying my cricket and when you enjoy yourself, you end up doing better."

As he prepares to compete in The Hundred, Crane says his spirits are high after a “tough couple of years”.

“I haven’t played as much cricket and at times, you don’t particularly enjoy that, but the opportunity to come and play, I’ve really enjoyed that," he added.

"I think my cricket has moved forward now that I’m happier with it. The way the season started, I was a big part of the team and when the chance came to make the move permanent, I didn’t really think twice about it. It was a bit of a no-brainer.

"I’m really happy with the direction that we’re all going in and hopefully, in years to come, we can get even better.”

Special memories at Sophia Gardens

Sophia Gardens, the home of Glamorgan and Welsh Fire, has sentimental value for Crane.

It was on the Cardiff ground that Crane, making his second appearance for England in a T20 match against South Africa in 2017, claimed the scalp of AB de Villiers.

It was his first wicket on the international stage.

“It feels like a lifetime ago that it happened,” he added. “I’ve always really enjoyed playing here and this year with Glamorgan has cemented that.

“I think my experience here will help. There are a lot of players from all over the country at different venues, so if you can try and get slightly ahead with that local knowledge, it really helps.

“With Glamorgan being the only Welsh county, you certainly feel that the crowd are right behind you. On nights when it all goes so well, it’s awesome that we can do it for them and hopefully, that translates into The Hundred as well.

“The aim has to be to try and get into the knockout stages, then anything can happen once you get through.”

Mason Crane managed a career-best score of 61 against Northamptonshire earlier this summer

Coach’s stamp of approval

Welsh Fire finished fourth in the 2023 edition of The Hundred, narrowly missing out on an eliminator spot.

The campaign was a significant improvement on the Welsh franchise's underwhelming efforts in the first two years of The Hundred.

Welsh Fire's opening 2024 fixture is at Manchester Originals on Thursday, 25 July, with their first home game, against Oval Invincibles, on Sunday, 28 July.

While progress has been made, head coach Mike Hussey and captain Tom Abell believe Crane will be a key addition as they look to go further in this year's competition.

“He’s got a lot of energy, which is going to be good around the group as well" Hussey said.

“His skillset is exactly what we needed. I’m someone that likes to take wickets all the way through the innings, particularly up front in the powerplay, then continue in the middle sets.

“I’m delighted to have someone like Mason, who now has experience of playing here in Cardiff, which is a unique ground. Him having success here will give him confidence, because we want to play well here in Cardiff.

“We want to win as many home games as possible, which is something we haven’t done as well in the past.”

Abell and Crane have been reunited in the Welsh capital having crossed paths at South African T20 side Sunrisers Eastern Cape.

“When we spoke about what we’d like and what skillsets we’d want, we were really keen on an attacking spinner and Mason is certainly that,” Somerset batter Abell added.

“He’s a wicket-taker, he’s got incredible skill, able to spin the ball both ways and gets good bounce, so he’ll certainly be a wicket-taking option for us through the middle.

“I’ve got to know Mason pretty well. He’s had a fantastic season here at Glamorgan so we’re delighted to have him as a part of the group.”