Making his England debut at 34 in the middle of a testing tour to Australia, Mal Loye was not about to hold back against a formidable pace attack.
Regarded as an innovator in the early years of Twenty20 cricket, Loye, now Derbyshire’s Assistant Coach – Batting Lead, joined-up with England in January 2007, set to make his first appearance after months of speculation and knocking on the door.
“2003 and T20 cricket, everybody knows how it’s changed the game,” said Loye.
“I remember being in the nets before the first game and Carl Hooper said to me ‘you like this format of the game, I can tell’ and without planning it, I took it into the 50-over competition as well.
“My game completely evolved in a very short period of time, even in my early thirties.
England had just lost the 2006-07 Ashes series 5-0 and then faced the difficult prospect of a 50-over Tri-Series against their Aussie opponents and near-neighbours, New Zealand.
“Leading towards the 2007 World Cup, I knew that I was pretty close. I went to New Zealand and played for Auckland,” said Loye.
“I think Kevin Pietersen broke his wrist and Michael Vaughan picked up an injury as well and I got the call to pack my kit and fly to Brisbane. I was fresh, I had no scars of the battles with Shane Warne and co and I was ready to take them on.”
What followed has become somewhat of an internet sensation as Loye, well-known for taking on the quick bowlers back in England, slog-swept both Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath on his international debut.
Now commonplace across the domestic and international game, Loye explains his development due to T20 cricket and how players continue to move the game forward with their innovation.
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