FnQ leg spinner on cusp for sa

BUSTING to unleash their flame-haired spin prodigy, Jake Lehmann and Jamie Siddons will consult the rain gods before inaugurating former Cairns leggie Lloyd Pope against New South Wales in today’s Sheffield Shield opener.

Excitement at Lehmann emulating father Darren captaining South Australia at first class level has been overshadowed by intrigue at Australian under-19 star Pope’s unveiling.

Forecast showers over the next two days complicated an intent to blood the rising star.

Lehmann said SA would “wait for the weather” but the 18-year-old is expected to start.

Resurgent Adam Zampa is on Twenty20 duty with Australia in the United Arab Emirates making the season opener an ideal chance to see Pope in just his second four-day game.

“He is exciting, spins it both ways and we just want to see how it goes,” Redbacks coach Jamie Siddons told News Corp. “We think he is a future bowler for us. We lean towards playing him.

“He has a few tricks. I expect him to do a job straight away as our spinner but we have Tom Cooper who can do a job. We will have enough bowling support there.”

Lehmann noted “mature” Pope had the resilience and self-belief required of young tweakers who can take a decade to peak. Pope spins a stealth wrong-un more than his stock ball.

“I think that is the great aspect of Lloyd, his competitiveness,” said Lehmann of Pope who took 8/35 against England at this year’s under-19 World Cup in Queenstown. “He’s not shy to take on the likes of Fergie (Callum Ferguson) and Travis Head or myself in the nets.”

Prior to his World Cup breakthrough, Pope revealed it was the Far North where he first bowled leg-spin, with devastating results.

“We were living in Cairns and I was mucking around in the nets impersonating people and trying different things when Dad said I should try a few leggies,” he said.

“I was sceptical but took six wickets (for Barron River), which was pretty good for an eight-year-old.’’

Lehmann will fill in for Test No.4 Head as the Redbacks skipper.