Lloyd Pope makes Sheffield Shield history with seven-for

Playing for South Australia, the 18-year-old delivered a spell featuring a mixed bag of leg-breaks and deceptive googlies to spin a web around a strong Queensland batting unit, bundling them for 231 on a fresh wicket.

In doing so, he became the youngest player in the 126-year history of the Sheffield Shield to take seven wickets in an innings, topping a record held by Doug Walters, who was 19 when he achieved a similar feat way back in the 1964-85 season.

Pope had first achieved international acclaim when he bamboozled England with 8/35 during their Under-19 World Cup match in Queenstown earlier this year. That spell ensured Australia went into the semi-finals even though they had set England just a modest 128 to win.

What makes Pope's latest feat even more special is that one of his victims included a well-set Joe Burns, who is very much on the national selectors' radar. Burns, batting on 64, was one of three batsmen to fall to Pope's googlies.

Pope's other victims were Sam Heazlett, Jack Wildermuth, Jimmy Peirson, Michael Neser, Mitchell Swepson and Brendan Doggett – four of whom have played for Australia.

Pope had failed to make too much of an impression in his debut first-class game, against New South Wales, taking just two tail-end wickets in the entire match, but this performance should give him the confidence to aim for greater heights.