Mal Loye

Malachy Bernard Loye (born 27 September 1972), most commonly known as Mal Loye, is an English former cricketer who played first-class cricket for Northamptonshire, Lancashire, and England A. Loye is a right-handed batsman, particularly well known for his slog sweep shot against fast bowlers. Deep into a long career, he also finally made his One Day International debut against Australia on 19 January 2007 aged 34 years 113 days.

Mal Loye

Personal information
Full name	Malachy Bernard Loye
Born	27 September 1972 Northampton, England
Nickname	Chairman, Jacko
Height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm off spin
Role	Batsman
International information
National side	England
ODI debut (cap 201)	19 January 2007 v Australia
Last ODI	11 February 2007 v Australia
ODI shirt no.	48
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1991–2002	Northamptonshire
2003–2009	Lancashire (squad no. 1)
2006/07	Auckland
2010–2011	Northamptonshire (squad no. 2)
2012	Buckinghamshire
Career statistics
Competition ODI FC LA T20 Matches 7 264 304 42 Runs scored 142 15,329 8,973 1,246 Batting average 20.29 39.91 33.86 33.67 100s/50s 0/0 42/65 10/59 1/8 Top score 45 322* 127 100 Balls bowled – 55 – – Wickets – 1 – – Bowling average – 61.00 – – 5 wickets in innings – 0 – – 10 wickets in match – 0 – – Best bowling – 1/8 – – Catches/stumpings 0/– 119/– 67/– 15/–
Source: Cricinfo, 25 October 2012

Career

Northamptonshire

After making his debut in 1991, Loye received the Northamptonshire cap in 1994, and passed 1,000 runs in a season for the first time in 1996. In 1998 when he made almost 1,200 first-class runs including the county's individual scoring record of 322 not out against Glamorgan. In the same game he shared a stand of 401 with David Ripley which beat the record of the highest fifth-wicket stand in England. He ended up with four hundreds that year, a new season best, and was named PCA Player of the Year to follow on from his 1993 award of PCA Young Player of the Year. After a couple of lean years where he made less than 600 runs, Loye has averaged above 48 in every season save 2002, and scored more than 900 runs a season. Now he has over 10,000 first-class runs to his name and has represented both England U19 and England A.

Lancashire

Loye transferred to Lancashire in 2003. He was an ever-present during Lancashire's march to the County Championship Division Two title in 2005 and was the county's leading run-scorer with 1,198, including a knock of 200 against Durham. He almost became the first Lancashire batsman ever to score consecutive double centuries but was dismissed for 194 in the next match against Essex. Loye also made a century in the Twenty20 Cup for the first time when he hammered exactly 100 against Durham, including five sixes and 10 fours. Loye became a mainstay in the Lancashire top-order from there on and his good form provided him with a call-up to England's One Day International 30-man preliminary squad for the ICC Champions Trophy in India. He was awarded with a benefit season for 2008.[1]

Return to Northamptonshire

After 7 years away from Northamptonshire, Loye returned to Wantage Road, signing a 2-year contract on 29 September 2009.[2] He was released by the county following the 2011 season.[3] Following his release he joined Buckinghamshire for the 2012 season, making his debut for the county in the MCCA Knockout Trophy against Dorset.[4]

International career

On 4 October 2006 he was called up to the England squad for the Hong Kong Sixes event in November. Loye acted as a wicket keeper for the England team led by Dominic Cork during the tournament.

In January 2007 Loye was playing for Auckland, when he was called up to the England squad as cover for the injured Michael Vaughan,[5] and made his One Day International debut on 19 January 2007 when he was England's top scorer with 36 runs off 36 balls.[6] Cricket commentator Simon Mann remarked after the game that "Loye's front foot sweep for six off Brett Lee was the stroke of the series so far".[7]

Loye was left out of England's squad for the 2007 Cricket World Cup in favour of Ravi Bopara. Chairman of selectors David Graveney said that Loye could be considered unlucky and had not done anything wrong, but that his inclusion would have made the squad "top-heavy". He was also left out of England's Twenty20 squad for a tournament in South Africa, despite having had healthy stats and success in the domestic form of the game over the previous few seasonsuced and having averaged 57 in the 2007 tournament. [8][9]

References

1. England legends line up for Loye Archived 12 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine Lancashire County Cricket Club Website
2. Mal Loye is a Steelback Archived 27 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Northants Cricket Website. Retrieved 30 September 2009.
3. "Mal Loye released by Northants". ESPNcricinfo. 22 September 2011. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
4. "Ex-England batsman signs for Bucks". Bucks Free Press. 11 April 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
5. Vaughan out of Brisbane one-dayer BBC Sport
6. Commonwealth Bank Series BBC Sport
7. England spirit shakes Aussies BBC Sport
8. Bopara wins place ahead of Loye Cricinfo. Retrieved 14 February 2007.
9. Loye fumes at Graveney's 'lack of respect' Cricinfo

External links

• Mal Loye at ESPNcricinfo