Lloyd Pope

{{short description|Australian cricketer}}

{{Use Australian English|date=January 2018}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Lloyd Pope

| fullname = Lloyd Aylmer James Pope

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|12|1|df=yes}}

| birth_place =

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right-arm leg break

| role = Bowler

| club1 = South Australia

| year1 = {{nowrap|2017/18–present}}

| clubnumber1 = 24

| club2 = Sydney Sixers

| year2 = {{nowrap|2018/19–2022/23}}

| clubnumber2 = 7

| club3 = Adelaide Strikers

| year3 = {{nowrap|2023/24–present}}

| clubnumber3 = 24

| club4 = Northamptonshire

| year4 = 2025

| clubnumber4 = 16

| columns = 3

| column1 = FC

| matches1 = 18

| runs1 = 84

| bat avg1 = 6.00

| 100s/50s1 = 0/0

| top score1 = 17

| deliveries1 = 3,407

| wickets1 = 50

| bowl avg1 = 47.66

| fivefor1 = 3

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 7/87

| catches/stumpings1 = 7/–

| column2 = LA

| matches2 = 15

| runs2 = 9

| bat avg2 = 3.00

| 100s/50s2 = 0/0

| top score2 = 4*

| deliveries2 = 734

| wickets2 = 21

| bowl avg2 = 35.47

| fivefor2 = 0

| tenfor2 = 0

| best bowling2 = 4/78

| catches/stumpings2 = 1/–

| column3 = T20

| matches3 = 48

| runs3 = 8

| bat avg3 = 2.00

| 100s/50s3 = 0/0

| top score3 = 5

| deliveries3 = 918

| wickets3 = 54

| bowl avg3 = 23.72

| fivefor3 = 0

| tenfor3 = 0

| best bowling3 = 4/22

| catches/stumpings3 = 6/–

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/1076721.html Cricinfo

| date = 21 June 2025

}}

Lloyd Aylmer James Pope (born 1 December 1999) is an Australian cricketer who currently represents South Australia and the Adelaide Strikers.{{cite web |title=Lloyd Pope Profile - Cricket Player Australia {{!}} Stats, Records, Video |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/lloyd-pope-1076721 |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=22 November 2024 |language=en}} A right-arm leg spin bowler, he is known for his effective use of the wrong'un as a variation.{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Matthew |title=Forgotten leg spin bowler still dreams of playing for Australia |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-02/lloyd-pope-dreams-of-national-selection/103246386 |website=ABC News |access-date=22 November 2024 |language=en-AU |date=1 January 2024}}{{cite web |last1=Lavalette |first1=Tristan |title='We had to be brave' - How spin twins turned around Strikers' season |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/bbl-2023-24-how-spin-twins-cameron-boyce-and-lloyd-pope-turned-around-adelaide-strikers-season-1417490 |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=22 November 2024 |language=en |date=21 January 2024}} Pope was well renowned in his early career for his hair, becoming a cult hero of Australian cricket due to his “flowing red hair”.{{cite web |last1=Coleman-Heard |first1=Rory |title=The great red Pope of Australian cricket |url=https://thewest.com.au/sport/cricket/keep-an-eye-on-lloyd-pope-is-far-more-than-just-hype-ng-b881032626z |website=The West Australian |access-date=22 November 2024 |language=en |date=26 November 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://www.cricket.com.au/news/lloyd-pope-a-standout-for-australia-under-19s-red-hair-leg-spin-wickets-sri-lanka-cricket/2017-04-25 |work=cricket.com.au |title=Pope's rapid rise up Aussie ranks |access-date=13 January 2021}}

Career

In August 2017, he was offered a rookie contract with South Australia.{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/20409491/south-australia-name-contract-list |title=South Australia name contract list |access-date=23 January 2018 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}} In December 2017, he was named in Australia's squad for the 2018 Under-19 Cricket World Cup.{{cite web |url=http://www.cricket.com.au/news/under-19-world-cup-squad-australia-captain-jason-sangha-austin-waugh-will-sutherland-lloyd-pope/2017-12-15 |title=Sangha, Waugh head U19 World Cup squad |access-date=15 December 2017 |work=Cricket Australia}} On 23 January 2018, in the Under-19 Cricket World Cup, Pope took figures of 8/35 in Australia's quarter-final match against England.{{Cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/lloyd-pope-835-saves-australia-against-england-at-under19-world-cup-20180123-h0mvch.html |title=Lloyd Pope 8-35 saves Australia against England at under-19 World Cup |access-date=23 January 2018 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=23 January 2018 }}{{Cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/icc-under-19-world-cup-lloyd-pope-picks-eight-as-australia-bundle-out-england-for-96-5035711/ |title=ICC Under-19 World Cup: Lloyd Pope picks eight as Australia bundle out England for 96 |access-date=23 January 2018 |work=The Indian Express|date=23 January 2018 }} These were the best bowling figures in the history of the Under-19 Cricket World Cup.{{cite web |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/602531 |title=Lloyd Pope spins Australia to stunning comeback win |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=23 January 2018}} He was the leading wicket-taker for Australia in the tournament, with eleven dismissals.{{cite web|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=11980;team=284;type=tournament |title=ICC Under-19 World Cup, 2017/18 - Australia Under-19s: Batting and bowling averages |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=3 February 2018}}

He made his first-class debut for South Australia in the 2018–19 Sheffield Shield season on 16 October 2018.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1150108.html |title=1st match, Sheffield Shield at Adelaide, Oct 16-19 2018 |access-date=16 October 2018 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}} Later the same month, in his second first-class match, he took seven wickets for 87 runs in the first innings against Queensland.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/8043/report/1150112/day/1/south-australia-vs-queensland-5th-match-sheff-shield-pura |title=Teenager Pope sends Queensland spinning |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=25 October 2018}} In doing so, he became the youngest bowler to take a seven-wicket haul in the Sheffield Shield.{{cite web|url=https://www.cricket.com.au/news/lloyd-pope-seven-wickets-youngest-leg-spinner-92-years-south-australia-queensland-highlights-wrongun/2018-10-25 |title=Pope's seven puts Bulls in purgatory |work=Cricket Australia |access-date=25 October 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/888019 |title=Lloyd Pope makes Sheffield Shield history with seven-for |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=26 October 2018}}

He made his Twenty20 debut for Sydney Sixers in the 2018–19 Big Bash League season on 22 December 2018.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1152514.html |title=4th Match, Big Bash League at Sydney, Dec 22 2018 |access-date=22 December 2018 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}} He made his List A debut for South Australia, on 26 September 2019, in the 2019–20 Marsh One-Day Cup.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1196097.html |title=6th Match, The Marsh Cup at Brisbane, Sep 26 2019 |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=26 September 2019}}

Pope was part of the Sydney Sixers title-winning squad in the 2019-20 Big Bash League season, playing eight matches over the season and taking 10 wickets.{{cite web |url=https://www.sydneysixers.com.au/players/lloyd-pope |work=Sydney Sixers |title=Lloyd Pope |access-date=13 January 2021}} On 10 October 2020, in the 2020–21 Sheffield Shield, Pope became the first leg spinner in 50 years to take a five-wicket haul on the opening day of a Sheffield Shield season.{{cite web |url= https://www.cricket.com.au/news/lloyd-pope-historic-haul-five-wickets-opening-day-sheffield-shield-season-highlights-story/2020-10-10 |access-date=11 October 2020 |work=Cricket Australia |title=History-making haul vindicates faith in Pope |author=Cameron, Louis}}

During the 2023–24 Big Bash League season, Pope was named as a local replacement player for Travis Head, debuting for the Adelaide Strikers on 5 January 2024.{{cite web |last1=Paynter |first1=Jack |title='Had to do it differently': Dramatic shift pays off for Strikers {{!}} cricket.com.au |url=https://www.cricket.com.au/news/3862747/adelaide-strikers-leg-spin-strategy-beat-perth-scorchers-lloyd-pope-cameron-boyce-gillespie-bbl13-big-bash-finals |website=www.cricket.com.au |access-date=22 November 2024 |language=en |date=20 January 2024}} In July 2024, he was officially signed by the Strikers on a three-year deal.{{cite web |last1=Watkin |first1=Lucy |title=Strikers lock in 'dual spin threat' with Pope deal {{!}} cricket.com.au |url=https://www.cricket.com.au/news/4066141/adelaide-strikers-re-sign-lloyd-pope-bbl14-big-bash-league-spinners-squad |website=www.cricket.com.au |access-date=22 November 2024 |language=en |date=24 July 2024}} On 4 November 2024, he achieved his third first-class five-wicket haul with fourth innings figures of 6/74 to prevent a draw against Victoria.{{cite web |title=Pope spins South Australia to drought-breaking victory |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/sheffield-shield-2024-25-1444468/south-australia-vs-victoria-9th-match-1444500/match-report |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=22 November 2024 |language=en |date=4 November 2024}} He was chosen as part of the Prime Minister's XI squad for a day-night match against an Indian XI as part of the 2024–25 Indian tour of Australia.{{cite web |title=Boland, Konstas, Renshaw part of Prime Minister's XI squad to face India |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/scott-boland-sam-konstas-matt-renshaw-part-of-prime-minister-s-xi-squad-to-face-india-1460644 |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=22 November 2024 |language=en |date=21 November 2024}}

In May 2025, Pope signed to play for Northamptonshire County Cricket Club in that year's T20 Blast.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/cdxvzy43w7ro|title=Pope to replace injured Agar for Northants T20 campaign|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=13 May 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/sport/other-sport/pope-signs-for-steelbacks-as-they-move-quickly-to-replace-agar-for-blast-5126291|title=Pope signs for Steelbacks as they move quickly to replace Agar for Blast|publisher=Northampton Chronicle|accessdate=13 May 2025}}

References

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