Loye shocked at taunting

Mal Loye, who made his England debut against Australia in the fourth one-dayer yesterday, has spoken of his shock at the taunting he and his team-mates received from the home fans at Brisbane.

Loye made 36 in England's four-wicket defeat and told BBC Radio Five Live he had "never been verbally abused like that my whole life.

"I can't repeat what they (Australian fans) said. I thought I was a reasonable bloke until yesterday."

Loye was called up by England to replace Kevin Pietersen who cracked a rib in the first match against Australia last week. He had been playing for Auckland and, though he only scored 51 in two State Championship matches, has been in terrific one-day form for his county, Lancashire, in the past two seasons.

Those hardy fans at Old Trafford are quite used to Loye's signature shot - slog-sweeping the fast bowlers on one knee - but not Brisbanites. His sweetly struck swept six off Australia's favourite son, Brett Lee, was described by some as the shot of the tournament.

"It's a calculated gamble," said Loye. "You try and get used to the pitch and the bowlers - I'd not faced Lee before. "Sometimes it doesn't come off and it's a shot you have to be 110% about and not be half-hearted with at all."