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Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Teenager Pope sends Queensland spinning

Lloyd Pope ran through Queensland Getty Images

South Australia 0 for 39 trail Queensland 231 (Burns 64, Pope 7-87) by 192 runs

Lloyd Pope, the South Australian 18-year old leg-spin sensation, took a stunning seven-wicket haul in just his second first-class match to bamboozle Queensland on the opening day at the Adelaide Oval.

Pope, who only made his Sheffield Shield debut last week, became the youngest Australian leg-spinner to take seven wickets in a Shield innings, finishing with 7 for 87 on a day that looked conducive to swing and seam bowling.

Pope made his name at the Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand in January, when he took 8 for 35 against England.

He had to wait for his chance on day one after Joe Mennie did the early damage. Mennie induced false strokes from Test hopefuls Matt Renshaw and Marnus Labuschagne. Both men fell to ill-advised drives, Renshaw bowled through the gate and Labuschagne edging a wide ball to first slip to reduce the visitors to 2 for 12.

Chadd Sayers then trapped Charlie Hemphrey lbw to leave the Bulls reeling at 3 for 29.

Pope wasn't introduced until the 24th over but claimed Sam Heazlett with his first ball. Heazlett was adjudged caught behind down the leg side.

Joe Burns looked set to stake a Test claim, cruising to a half-century, and in partnership with Jack Wildermuth, began to steer the Bulls out of trouble, taking them to 4 for 133.

But Pope unleashed his wrong'un after lunch to devastating effect. He pinned Burns and Wildermuth lbw, with neither man picking the googly that spun prodigiously back into the two right-handers. Michael Neser also fell to the wrong'un, getting in a tangle trying to whip off the back foot, with the ball bouncing off his pad, in between his legs and onto the stumps.

Pope claimed his maiden five-wicket haul next ball to get on a hat-trick, with opposing leg spinner Mitch Swepson skying an attempted pull shot to mid-off.

Jimmy Peirson provided late resistance with 42 before extra spin and bounce from Pope caused him to slice a cut shot to backward point. Brendon Doggett was the last man to fall, holing out to deep midwicket.

South Australian openers Jake Weatherald and Conor McInerney steered the Redbacks safely to stumps to cap an outstanding day for the home side.

Queensland 3rd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st1JA BurnsMT Renshaw
2nd9JA BurnsM Labuschagne
3rd51CR HemphreyM Labuschagne
4th118CR HemphreySD Heazlett
5th46JD WildermuthSD Heazlett
6th35JJ PeirsonSD Heazlett
7th97MG NeserSD Heazlett