Chess, chat and a shaggy red mop: Meet leg-spin’s latest ‘it’ man Lloyd Pope
HE’S the flame-haired leggie who attracted global attention this week after claiming 8/35 to lead Australia to a stunning victory over England in the Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand. Meet South Australia’s latest sporting sensation, Lloyd Pope.
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A LOVEABLE smart alec who has played competitive chess and has no plans to shorten his mop of red hair.
They are among descriptions of South Australia’s latest cricket prodigy, Kensington leg-spinner Lloyd Pope, from some of those close to him.
Pope, 18, hit the spotlight this week after claiming 8/35 from 9.4 overs to lead Australia to a stunning victory over England in the Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand.
The performance has resulted in widespread praise from the cricket community, including fellow leggie Shane Warne, and cult-hero status on social media, where there is a “Lloyd Pope appreciation page” that has received almost 2000 Facebook likes and several memes highlighting his papal name or distinctive appearance.
At his local club Kensington, the Redbacks rookie – nicknamed Pennywise by teammates after the clown from the movie It – has made as much of an impact with his banter as with the ball since taking 3/15 in his A-grade debut in March 2016.
“He’s a massive smart arse,” says Kensington captain Jake Brown, who has played five first-class games for SA.
“He’s used to copping a fair bit of grief about certain lookalikes ... so is quite quick on the comebacks.
“He never crosses the line but is just more than happy to give it back.
“He’s been loud from game one when he was 16, which is a little bit different to when most kids come in because they’ll sit there and don’t say much.”
Brown says Pope’s shoulder-length red hair is a major topic of the change room repartee.
“We’ve been nailing him for a couple of years about it,” he says.
“He’s trying to grow it long and reckons that’s the best option for him – most people tend to disagree.
“It would’ve at least doubled, if not tripled, in length since he started playing A grade two years ago.
“And there’s no end in sight – he reckons he’s just going to let it go.”
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Between the friendly-natured ribbing, Pope impresses Brown with his raw talent, aggression and team-first attitude.
“When he gets on a run with his bowling, he’s almost unstoppable,” Brown says.
“He loves winning – it’s not just about Lloyd himself.
“He loves the contest and has probably got a bit of a fast-bowler’s mentality.
“He doesn’t sledge blokes but wants to let them know that he’s there and get in their face.”
Melbourne-born Pope was a medium-pacer while growing up in Queensland before his father, Myles, convinced him to switch to leggies at the age of eight.
Last season Pope became the first player to lead the wickets tally in both the under-17 and under-19 Australian junior carnivals.
Tuesday’s performance against England was not his first eight-wicket haul.
The former Pulteney Grammar student got one for Kensington’s B grade against Sturt in February 2016, leading to his A-grade debut the following week.
That all came 12 months after first making his mark against men with 5/17, including a hat-trick, in his debut senior match, in the Browns’ Ds.
“He lit up the juniors and was the trump card in most teams he played,” Kensington senior coach Ben Johnswood says.
“We knew we had a classy, quality player on our hands.
“Then it became a manner of ‘do you fast-track through the grades or let him find his feet in senior cricket?’
“We kept it pretty simple – after he performed well and took some wickets, he’d move up to the next level.”
Johnswood says Pope has an insatiable appetite for cricket and enjoys passing on his knowledge by mentoring a handful of the club’s junior leg-spinners.
“It’s a teenager coaching teenagers,” he says.
“He’s got a real nice manner and way with the kids.”
Pope is also a sponge when it comes to learning about the game from more experienced teammates, such as Redbacks and Brisbane Heat batsman Alex Ross.
“He’d chew their ear off with question after question about their bats and what bowlers they’d faced and never left them alone,” Johnswood says.
“When Alex Ross was next in to bat in a Twenty20 game, he actually had to move away from Lloyd at one stage to let him concentrate on his innings ahead.”
dir="ltr">White smoke coming from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel...cricket has a new Pope ...Lloyd Pope ...a Jaffa headed 18 year old leg spinner from Adelaide ...just took a lazy 8 wickets to beat England in Under 19 World Cup quarter final...his wrong-un accounted for 6 Poms .
— Kerry O'Keeffe (@kokeeffe49) January 23, 2018
This is terrific & brings a huge smile to my face. I had the pleasure of meeting this impressive young man in Adelaide a while ago ! Was nice to have a bowl with him too - Lloyd give it a rip - well done & congrats ! Spin to win my friend https://t.co/K4Ue2jaUfw
— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) 23 January 2018
Pope’s chattiness and dry wit also stand out to Pulteney Grammar principal Anne Dunstan.
Dunstan says Pope, who graduated last year, was a popular student and highly competitive in a range of sports, not just cricket.
“He competed at the school level in soccer, swimming, table tennis, which he’s meant to be an absolute gun at, volleyball, basketball and also represented his house in playing chess,” Dunstan says.
“The way in which he competes is always fun to watch, no matter what he’s playing.
“And he throws everything at it.
“But he’s got such humility.”
Pope’s Kensington teammates followed his World Cup heroics by posting a running commentary and videos on their WhatsApp group.
Pulteney staff cheered and clapped during a meeting when they found out, then Pope’s former head of house John Taylor donned an Australian shirt the leg-spinner had given him.
“He’s a fabulous young man and we’re all thrilled for him,” Dunstan says.
“We’re going to watch his progress with a great deal of interest.”
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