HAMPSHIRE leg-spinner Mason Crane has been rewarded with a new two-year contract.

The 18-year old had signed a development contract with the club four months ago, but Crane has now penned a new senior deal which keeps him at the Ageas Bowl until at least the end of the 2017 season.

The county have acted quickly to tie Crane down after Danny Briggs was released towards the end of last week and allowed to join Sussex.

Crane said: “I’m delighted to have been rewarded with a new deal – hopefully I can push on after a good season and cement my place in the first-team.

"I know I need to keep taking wickets and putting in good performances and I’m looking forward to testing myself against the best players in Division One again next year. 

“I’ve got a busy winter ahead with the England Under 19s and I’m looking forward to playing in different conditions which will hopefully put me in a good place ahead of the new season.”

Crane has enjoyed a promising 2015 campaign after marking his first-team debut with two vital wickets in Hampshire’s NatWest T20 Blast victory against Surrey at the Ageas Bowl.

The teenager went on to become the youngest Hampshire player to take a LV= County Championship five-wicket haul during the home win over Warwickshire in August. The Sussex-born spinner then capped off a brilliant few months by winning the Breakthrough Player of the Year Award at the club’s end of season dinner.

Hampshire Director of Cricket, Giles White, added: “Mason has shown a huge amount of potential in the first-team games he has played in this season and he thoroughly deserves this new contract.

"At his age he still needs to be given time to develop, but he has impressed everyone at the club both on and off the field. “He has all the ingredients to become a very fine bowler and we are hopeful that Mason will play a big part in the club’s future.”

Crane is heading to Colombo in December alongside Hants team-mate Brad Taylor, as part of a 16-man England Under 19s squad to face Sri Lanka and India Under-19s.