Leg-spin whiz Lloyd Pope to join Sydney Sixers BBL franchise with Strikers squad full

SOUTH Australian Redbacks leg-spinner Lloyd Pope has been poached by the Adelaide Strikers’ Big Bash League rvial Sydney Sixers.

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SOUTH Australian leg-spinner Lloyd Pope has been confirmed as Sydney Sixers’ timely recruiting coup — providing valuable cover for Australian tweaker Nathan Lyon.

The Advertiser last month revealed Pope, 18, would be lost to Adelaide Strikers and join the Sixers.

Red-head Pope delivers impressive accuracy — ripping his wrong’un with a high vertical action that is suited to T20 as opposed to a leggie who relies on stock-ball turn.

The Sixers have room on their roster with all-rounder John Hastings sidelined by bleeding on the lungs while off-spinner Lyon will have heavy international commitments this summer.

Adelaide couldn’t fit Pope — who took 8/35 against England in the under-19 World Cup at Queenstown last January — in its squad. The Strikers had committed to inaugural championship tweakers Rashid Khan and Liam O’Connor.

Lloyd Pope of the Redbacks lets one rip. Picture: AAP

“We have Rashid Khan the best T20 player in the world and full squad of 18. We rewarded players on the back of winning the trophy last season. Liam O’Connor came into the final side when Rashid went and did a really good job for us,” SACA high performance manager Tim Nielsen told The Advertiser.

POPE HAS BEEN ADDED TO SUPERCOACH BBL AT A CHEAPIE PRICE. SIGN UP HERE

Wrist spinner O’Connell — also a brilliant fielder and handy batsman — was poached by Victoria this season knowing the 17-year-old was behind Adam Zampa and Pope in the leg-spin queue at Adelaide Oval.

Pope grew up watching YouTube videos of Strikers star Rashid Khan to develop the wrong’un that him become the youngest bowler to take seven wickets (7/87) in a Sheffield Shield innings against Queensland last month.

“I loved watching him (Rashid) on TV and that (7/18) performance against the West Indies was some of the stuff I loved watching as a kid,” Pope told The Advertiser.

“The way he bowled so quickly and getting elements of his game into my white ball cricket has helped me as well.

“White ball cricket keeps you in the moment every ball, the batters are trying to hit you for six every ball.”

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Originally published as Leg-spin whiz Lloyd Pope to join Sydney Sixers BBL franchise with Strikers squad full