HAMPSHIRE will be without Mason Crane when they try to secure a home quarter-final in the Natwest T20 Blast by beating Somerset tomorrow night.

The leg-spinner has been left out of Hampshire’s 13-man squad at England’s request, after being left out of the XI that is playing the West Indies in the day/night Test at Edgbaston.

It is another indication that he will play in one or both of of the remaining Tests of the series, at Headingley and Lord’s.

But it is a big blow to Hampshire’s chances of ending their south group campaign with a third successive win.

Crane is Hampshire’s leading bowler in this season’s competition with the most wickets (15 at 17.13) and the best economy rate (6.58 runs per over).

Only Middlesex duo Tom Helm (19 at 14.89) and Steven Finn (16 at 15.87) and Gloucestershire’s former Hampshire all-rounder Benny Howell (16 at 14.75) have more south group wickets (and only Howell has a better economy rate of those bowlers with more than four games under their belts).

Crane has only missed one of Hampshire’s 12 games so far, which happened to be the defeat to Somerset at Taunton.

That was Brad Wheal’s only appearance in this year’s competition and he is set to return tonight.

Jimmy Adams is also recalled, while 24 year-old Wiltshire all-rounder Jake Lintott,a slow left-armer, joins them in the squad after impressing on trial for the twos.

Somerset, one of five sides on 12 points, are not helped by being without Dean Elgar (jarred back).

Second-placed Hampshire have already secured a place in next week’s quarter-finals but have to win to be assured of a top-two finish.

Surrey could yet pip them after beating Gloucestershire by two wickets at The Oval this evening, following Sam Curran’s 4-13.

The Brown Caps are away to a Kent side who know a win will book them a last-eight place after leapfrogging several sides into fourth by beating Essex at Chelmsford by ten runs in a 431-run thriller tonight.

Hampshire (from): Vince, Dickinson, Alsop, Bailey, Dawson, Ervine, Afridi, Wood, Berg, Abbott, Wheal, Lintott, Adams.