Leg-spin prospect Lloyd Pope says he'll seek out Test pick Mitchell Swepson for advice on surviving – then thriving – in Sheffield Shield cricket.
Pope, 21, copped wildly premature comparisons to Shane Warne when he starred as an Australian junior international and has done a tough apprenticeship in senior cricket.
He has played four Sheffield Shield matches for South Australia this season, taking 5-164 in his first hit-out against Western Australia but then battling for traction.
His record for the season reads eight wickets at an average of 86.25, conceding 5.30 runs per over and taking 97.5 balls per dismissal. He has gone wicketless in three innings and his other outings were 2-203 and 1-169.
Swepson, 27, has been on fire. In just three matches for Queensland, he's topped the Shield wickets tally with 23 scalps at 21.17; taking three consecutive five-wicket hauls, conceding just 2.41 runs per over and striking every 52.5 balls.
"It's a very, very hard scenario and those pitches were a little bit tough to bowl on," Pope told Sky Sports Radio, referring to early Shield rounds that were confined to grounds in Adelaide.
"As Swepson's sort of demonstrated, the spinners can do it. That's something I've aspired to, he's bowled really, really well and I'm keen to have a bit more of a chat with him and learn some of his tips and stuff. I think his pace was really good, so that's something that I can learn from.
"There's heaps of learning opportunities and it's been a really big step in my career, to go for those runs and bowl when it's hardest. Hopefully when I get on to some pitches that are a little bit more favourable, I might be able to start doing a little bit better as well."
While Swepson is in the Australian Test squad and has been touted for an SCG debut by former captain Ian Chappell, Pope is intent on proving himself in Shield cricket before dreaming of a baggy green.
"An absolute dream scenario would be to cement my [Shield] spot," Pope said of his 2020-21 season.
"I'd have to sort of step up to do that but they guys in the Shield team are awesome and Dizzy, Jason Gillespie, has been a great addition to our squad as the coach.
"He's really putting some time into me and I get the feeling that I'll get to keep playing cricket for South Australia, which is really, really good. Hopefully I can keep continuing to do that."
Asked about the early comparisons to Warne, Pope said he'd taken them in stride.
"I just try and tell myself that I'm not him," Pope said.
"I'm quite different from him, probably on and off the field."
Former Test paceman and radio host Stuart Clark interjected: "He'll hear that – he won't be happy with you, Lloyd!"
Pope continued: "He's obviously been a fantastic bowler for Australia.
"We've talked a lot to my coaches about it and my arm action's very, very different. It's a lot higher. My ball flight's different from him, all those sort of things.
"I can look at the good stuff that he's done in his career and try and replicate sort of little bits of that but he's probably not the bowler I'm trying to copy mainly. Probably in results, I guess, but not in the action and those sorts of things."
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