Mason Crane earns England recall eight years after last cap
Mason Crane is in line to play for England for the first time in eight years after earning a recall for this month's ODI tri-series in Pakistan.
The leg-spinner — a bowler who turns the ball away from right-handers with wrist spin — was named in Harry Brook's squad for the 50-over tournament featuring hosts Pakistan and Sri Lanka BBC Sport. England start their campaign against Pakistan in Rawalpindi on 20 October.
Crane, 29, won his only Test cap against Australia in Sydney in 2018 and played two T20 internationals, the short 20-over format, in 2017. He has forced his way back through weight of domestic cricket for Glamorgan, taking 34 wickets in this season's County Championship, the first-class county competition, and hitting his first two first-class hundreds.
His return helps fill clear gaps. Jos Buttler misses out with a hamstring injury, Jacob Bethell is still recovering from knee surgery and Brydon Carse remains absent. Jofra Archer, described as a first choice in all three formats, is also missing from the trip.
There is experience coming back the other way. Sam Curran and Adil Rashid return after injury. Sussex all-rounder James Coles and Sussex seamer Henry Crocombe are the two uncapped players in the group.
The format is simple and sharp. The three sides play each other twice, and the top two reach the final. The tournament opens with Pakistan against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi on 18 October, with England facing Sri Lanka there on 22 October before the action moves to Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore for the second round and a fixture on 31 October.
For fans, this means a proper look at England's depth. An ODI is 50 overs per side, long enough for spinners to work batters over and for a chase to swing late. Pakistan pitches can grip and turn, which puts Crane's wrist spin firmly in play.
What makes this stand out is persistence. Eight years is a long time out of an international dressing room. Crane has stayed relevant by adding runs to his bowling and taking wickets in volume.
The trip is also a staging post. After Pakistan, England play three ODIs and five T20s in Australia in November, then three Tests in South Africa in December ahead of next year's 50-over World Cup in southern Africa. England are expected to name their Australia squad and a new list of centrally contracted players next week.
Behind Brook, white-ball head coach Brendon McCullum will be assisted in Pakistan by Jeetan Patel, Mike Yardy, David Saker and Carl Hopkinson. Marcus Trescothick, Sarah Taylor and Tim Southee sit this one out as part of a plan to rotate coaches.
