WELLINGTON: Australian Lloyd Pope's record-breaking eight-wicket spell at the U-19 World Cup on Tuesday has left the leg-spinner "on top of the world", as the feat sparks comparisons to the legendary Shane Warne.
Pope took eight for 35 against England to spin Australia into the semifinals and set a new benchmark at the youth tournament, which is currently under way in New Zealand.
"I always love playing for my country whether I'm taking wickets or not, so going out there and doing it with some really good mates is an awesome experience," a beaming Pope told reporters.
"I was on top of the world really today. I mean to win a quarterfinal is awesome," he added.
The 18-year-old came into the attack with England cruising at 47 without loss as they chased Australia's modest total of 127.
But, just as Warne did on numerous occasions, Pope soaked up the pressure and bamboozled England's batsmen to have them all out for 96.
"I've always loved to bowl wrong'uns from an early age," Pope said when asked about his lethal googly.
"It's a big part of my game and I love bowling variations and just working on new things in the nets."
Aussie media, still smarting from the senior team's ODI series loss to England, seized upon the red-headed tyro's heroics in Queenstown.
"The new Shane Warne has arrived," Pope's home-town paper the Adelaide Advertiser trumpeted on its website.
Cricket Australia's website cricket.com.au likened his impact to Warne's in the 1999 World Cup, when he took four for 29 against South Africa.
Even the game's governing body, the ICC, could not resist the comparison, saying: "This could justifiably be called a Warne-esque spell.
"This has a claim to being Australia's most explosive scene-bursting moment since Shane lobbed one up to Mike Gatting in 1993," it added.
Warne, the so-called "sheikh of tweak", remains among Test cricket's greatest wicket-takers, with 708 scalps over a stellar 15-year career.
His gravity-defying delivery to Gatting announced his arrival on the world stage and has been called "the ball of the century."
Warne himself was effusive about Pope's performance.
"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," he tweeted.
"Was nice to have a bowl with him too — Lloyd give it a rip — well done & congrats! Spin to win my friend."
Pundits hail 'new Shane Warne' as leggie Lloyd Pope sets U-19 record
Pundits hail 'new Shane Warne' as leggie Lloyd Pope sets U-19 record
Al-Qadsiah victory over Al-Khaleej tightens Saudi Pro League title race
- Brendan Rodgers’ side now sit fourth on 43 points, four behind league leaders Al-Hilal
- Points dropped by Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli on Monday blow the title race wide open
RIYADH: Matchday 20 of the Saudi Pro League concluded after what was arguably the most dramatic week of the season, both on and off the pitch.
Monday saw the winter transfer window come to a close with late twists — most notably the transfer of Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad to Al-Hilal — alongside the highly anticipated clash between Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli. While all eyes were on that fixture, Al-Qadsiah quietly continued their unbeaten run with a 1-0 victory over Al-Khaleej, extending it to 10 matches.
With the campaign now beyond its halfway point, there is no telling who will become champion come end of the season. As things stand, Al-Hilal sit top with 47 points, followed by city rivals Al-Nassr on 46 points. In third place, Al-Ahli on 44 points, with Al-Qadsiah just behind on 43.
Al-Qadsiah’s win was anything but easy, however. Under Brendan Rodgers, one-goal victories had previously only come against against heavyweights such as Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad. Games against Al-Riyadh, Al-Fayha, Al-Hazem and Al-Najma — all in the bottom half of the table — were won by two goals or more.
Giorgos Donis’ Al-Khaleej presented a different challenge. Finding themselves in the upper mid-table this season thanks to stellar performances from the likes of Giorgos Masouras, Joshua King and Kostas Fortounis, it was never going to be easy for Al-Qadsiah, even in the absence of Fortounis due to injury.
It seemed like the flurry of games finally took its toll on the Knight of the East, with stars Julian Quinones and Musab Al-Juwayr looking fatigued. In the 38 days since Rodgers took charge at Al-Qadsiah, the side have played 10 matches, with five more to come in the next 23 days.
Despite 18 attempts at goal, only one came to fruition. A through ball to Quinones in the 41st minute was squared to Mateo Retegui, who finished into an open net to score the only goal of the game.
Al-Qadsiah didn’t sit back for the remainder of the game, prompting Al-Khaleej to take advantage of the spaces in behind the wing-backs to launch their own offence. Saudi national team centre-back Jehad Thekri was repeatedly left exposed, but backup goalkeeper Ahmed Al-Kassar did his best to prevent Al-Khaleej from finding an equaliser.
Despite being the week which saw the title race tighten to just four points between first and fourth, this was the second-lowest scoring Saudi Pro League matchday in history, with just nine goals across the nine games. None of the 18 teams were able to score more than one goal, with half the sides going goalless this round.
Elsewhere, just minutes away at E’GO Stadium, Al-Ettifaq managed to secure a valuable 1-0 victory against this campaign’s surprise package Al-Taawoun, after a 71st minute strike from Georginio Wijnaldum.
Meanwhile, Al-Kholood ended their streak of 18 games without a draw by grabbing a point in a 0-0 draw against Damac. The point for both sides was enough to see them end the round outside the relegation zone; Al-Kholood in 14th with 16 points and Damac in 15th with 12.
Saudi Pro League action returns on Thursday, with Al-Ahli and Al-Hilal continuing their title charges against Al-Hazem and Al-Okhdood respectively. Friday will feature the game of the round, with Al-Nassr welcoming Al-Ittihad at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh.
