MASON Crane will return to Hampshire a “100 per cent better bowler” after his amazing New South Wales call-up.

The youngster - who only celebrated his 20th birthday last month - appeared in the Sheffield Shield win against South Australia at the SCG last week.

After impressing playing club cricket for Gordon CC over the winter, the leg-spinner became the first overseas player to appear for NSW since Imran Khan in the mid 1980s.

He impressed with match figures of 5-116 in NSW’s victory.

“Getting picked for NSW was surreal, it wasn’t something I expected in my wildest dreams,” Crane said. 

“Seven guys from the current NSW team have played for Australia which proves how strong their team is and how privileged I was to get the opportunity to play for them in the Sheffield Shield.

“I learned a lot in training and the build up was very different to what I am used to at Hampshire. There we play almost everyday so we don’t get the same structured training like at NSW.

“I learned that playing at the Sydney Cricket Ground with and against so many brilliant players you have to be on top of your game for every ball.”

Despite only having played 17 first-class matches, Crane is seen by many pundits as a future international.

But he is not setting his sights too high too quickly.

“I’m not thinking about playing England, I can’t see it happening this year,” he said.

“There are better bowlers than me in England so I doubt I will be playing in the Ashes.

“This is the first season I’ve played in Australia: I’ve toured here before with England U19 but never played grade cricket until this winter.

“I will be returning to Hampshire a much better bowler. I am 100 per cent better having worked so closely with Stuart MacGill.”

There is no let-up for Crane, who has flown to Dubai to take part in three North v South one-day games.

The first two of the three-match series take place at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday and Sunday, while the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi will host the third game on March 21.

Crane is joined in the South squad by three Hampshire colleagues - James Vince, who will skipper the South side, Liam Dawson and Tom Alsop.