TINO Best praised the “amazing” Mason Crane after recording his first five-for in the Specsavers County Championship.
The veteran fast bowler bettered his best figures in eight games for Yorkshire in 2010 - which included two Roses matches - with 5-90 against Lancashire at Old Trafford.
We reckon @TinoBest REALLY enjoyed his five-for today. Just look at those celebrations 💃🎉👍https://t.co/ZbeWZhWoVK
— County Championship (@CountyChamp) May 9, 2016
For much of it he bowled in tandem with leg-spin prodigy Crane, who finished with 3-116.
“Today was a tough day but Mason Crane bowled beautifully,” he said.
“For a 19-year-old leg spinner to have that much control is amazing and it’s great for both Hampshire cricket and English cricket.
“England have produced a quality leg spinner and I think he is really one for the future.
“I keep telling him to just keep striving and going hard.
“He kept it tight and it gave me the opportunity to really run in and express myself.
“That’s why Hampshire have brought me: to run in and express myself and I really enjoyed it.
“At the end of the day you only have a short while to play this game and I’m 35 this summer.
“But I’m fit and strong and I’m always ready to go and to commit myself."
Best revelled in the Bajan-like conditions.
“Today the sun was warm, the wicket was flat and I thought to myself that this is just like first class cricket in Barbados.
“The sun was hot but you still have to run in hard and bowl quick and that’s what Hampshire are paying me to do.
“The best wicket for me was getting Steven Croft, a good player who can take the game away from you.
"Alviro Petersen was a prize wicket too and it was a good battle because it was West Indies versus South Africa right there and I’m not going to back down.
“I knew he was going to play his pulls but I made sure he didn’t pull me out the park because I back myself. That was a big wicket and he is a class act.
“We need to settle down and try and score 300-plus runs.
“You never know because cricket is a very funny game.”
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