England hopeful ready to step over sledge

Mason Crane will focus on shutting out the sledging from Australian crowds if he makes his debut in the Boxing Day Test.

Crane says he has been taken aback by the "verbals" from partisan spectators in this winter's Ashes.

But the 20-year-old leg-spinner may be about to put some distance between himself and the 90,000-plus at the MCG.

Crane faces a battle with uncapped seamer Tom Curran to replace the injured Craig Overton in the fourth Test. Overton failed to train with England at the MCG on Saturday morning and, if Crane is selected he will be relieved to escape running drinks in front of the home support.

"The verbals going on in this series, I've never seen the like before," he said.

"Walking around's tough. If a bowler wants a drink on the far side, we're drawing straws."

"You just laugh it off. There's not much else you can do, really. They're going to shout it (anyway)."

Whether he attracts the same attention in the middle is a moot point if asked to add to a team which has already lost the Ashes but is out to prove better than the current 3-0 scoreline.

"You spend your life growing up wanting to play for England, and I'm not going to let a few shouting Aussies get in the way of it," he said.

"If I do play Test cricket I'm going to try and enjoy every moment."

Crane marked his first trip to Australia as a teenager last winter with such improvement in Sydney grade cricket that he was called in for a Sheffield Shield debut for NSW.

"When I left for Australia last year, if someone said I'd be here now, you probably would have said they were being silly," he said.

The difference this time is all that extra attention.

One or two "had a pop" at a "young English" when he was playing for club side Gordon, but Crane added: "Most of the time, my grade team were winning – so they couldn't say too much."

His prospects of a first cap are perhaps enhanced by the poor form of frontline spinner Moeen Ali – sure to retain his place as an allrounder but arguably leaving the need for an alternative spin option rather than another seamer.

"If I'm called upon it will be great. That's what I'm here for," Crane said.

"It will be awesome if I do get the chance to play. I've been ready for every game, so I'm feeling confident.

"I don't think I ever dreamed I could play for New South Wales," he said. "It was an honour I could never have imagined.

"I think Australian pitches helped me – I really enjoy bowling on them, with a bit of extra bounce that you don't really get at home."

2017-18 International Fixtures

Magellan Ashes Series

Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird.

England Test squad: Joe Root (c), James Anderson (vc), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Gary Ballance, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Mason Crane, Tom Curran, Ben Foakes, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ben Stokes, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Chris Woakes.

First Test Australia won by 10 wickets. Scorecard

Second Test Australia won by 120 runs (Day-Night). Scorecard

Third Test Australia won by an innings and 41 runs. Scorecard

Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Tickets

Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Tickets

Gillette ODI Series v England

First ODI MCG, January 14. Tickets

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Tickets

Fifth ODI Perth Stadium, January 28. Tickets

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Tickets

Gillette T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Tickets

Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Tickets

Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Tickets

Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 14

Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21