Lloyd Pope

Lloyd Aylmer James Pope (born 1 December 1999) is an Australian cricketer who currently represents South Australia and the Adelaide Strikers.^[1] A right-arm leg spin bowler, he is known for his effective use of the wrong'un as a variation.^[2][3] Pope was well renowned in his early career for his hair, becoming a cult hero of Australian cricket due to his “flowing red hair”.^[4][5]

Lloyd Pope

Personal information
Full name	Lloyd Aylmer James Pope
Born	(1999-12-01) 1 December 1999 (age 25)
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm leg break
Role	Bowler
Domestic team information
Years	Team
2017/18–present	South Australia (squad no. 24)
2018/19–2022/23	Sydney Sixers (squad no. 7)
2023/24–present	Adelaide Strikers (squad no. 24)
2025	Northamptonshire (squad no. 16)
Career statistics
Competition FC LA T20 Matches 19 15 54 Runs scored 95 9 11 Batting average 6.78 3.00 2.20 100s/50s 0/0 0/0 0/0 Top score 17 4* 5 Balls bowled 3,551 734 1,026 Wickets 52 21 58 Bowling average 47.76 35.47 25.15 5 wickets in innings 3 0 0 10 wickets in match 0 0 0 Best bowling 7/87 4/78 4/22 Catches/stumpings 8/– 1/– 7/–
Source: Cricinfo, 26 July 2025

Career

In August 2017, he was offered a rookie contract with South Australia.^[6] In December 2017, he was named in Australia's squad for the 2018 Under-19 Cricket World Cup.^[7] 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.^[8][9] These were the best bowling figures in the history of the Under-19 Cricket World Cup.^[10] He was the leading wicket-taker for Australia in the tournament, with eleven dismissals.^[11]

He made his first-class debut for South Australia in the 2018–19 Sheffield Shield season on 16 October 2018.^[12] Later the same month, in his second first-class match, he took seven wickets for 87 runs in the first innings against Queensland.^[13] In doing so, he became the youngest bowler to take a seven-wicket haul in the Sheffield Shield.^[14][15]

He made his Twenty20 debut for Sydney Sixers in the 2018–19 Big Bash League season on 22 December 2018.^[16] He made his List A debut for South Australia, on 26 September 2019, in the 2019–20 Marsh One-Day Cup.^[17]

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.^[18] 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.^[19]

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.^[20] In July 2024, he was officially signed by the Strikers on a three-year deal.^[21] 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.^[22] 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.^[23]

In May 2025, Pope signed to play for Northamptonshire County Cricket Club in that year's T20 Blast.^[24][25]