Crane takes punishment in Test debut

England debutant spinner Mason Crane has copped some heavy treatment in the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney.

Mason Crane

England's Mason Crane attempts to catch Usman Khawaja during the fifth Test. (AAP)

New South Wales fans love seeing a Blue notch a century during the Sydney Test and support for the case of Mason Crane was no different.

The English leg spinner had unflattering figures of 0-100 before finally taking Usman Khawaja's wicket on day three of the fifth Ashes Test at the SCG on Saturday after a luckless debut.

Crane thought he had dismissed century-maker Khawaja just before lunch however had his maiden Test wicket taken from him because of a no ball.

He then finally claimed his man when he spun one past him and had him stumped by Jonny Bairstow for 171, but even that required a check on his front foot.

The 20-year-old played one Sheffield Shield game for NSW last year after coming down under for a stint in club cricket but made such an impression he was called up into the Blues side.

While the tiny SCG crowd was behind him that day, he was regularly booed and jeered in his maiden Test after he failed to release the ball and abandoned his run up on 13 occasions.

After 31 overs he had figures of 1-103 to be the most expensive of the English bowlers.

Australian great Ian Chappell earlier accused English captain Joe Root of misusing Crane.

"I wonder about Joe Root's feel for the game at times," Chappell told the Nine Network.

"I thought Crane was bowling well and looked as though something might be just around the corner in the way of a wicket and he took him off.

"I think part of the reason he hasn't got a wicket is down to Root's captaincy. I don't think he understands much about leg spin bowling."

Crane previously thought he had trapped Khawaja lbw while the Australian batsman was on 132.

However England's Ashes no-ball woes continued with replays showing Crane had overstepped his mark, blowing a golden opportunity to dismiss Khawaja.

When Khawaja attempted to pad the ball away outside off stump, he was given not out however the English chose to review the decision.

The tourists' hearts sank when replays revealed Crane had overstepped the crease.

They had further salt rubbed into their wounds when ball tracker revealed it was hitting the top of middle stump.

Former English spinner Graeme Swann savaged the umpire's decision, declaring Crane had part of his foot behind the line.

"These umpires don't know what they're doing. I swear these umpires are clueless," Swann told Triple M.

It was the second time this Ashes series the tourists have botched a big wicket because of a no-ball.

In Melbourne, Tom Curran believed he had snared David Warner on 99 however the Australian opener was called back to the crease when replays showed the debutant had overstepped his mark.


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Source: AAP



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