Mal Loye stunned by abusive Aussie crowd

Sydney, Jan 20 (UNI) Australia's reputation as the numero uno cricket side maybe burgeoning with every passsing day but the crowd behaviour simply refuses to improve and it was England batsman Mal Loye's turn to complain that he received the worst barracking of his life during the Friday one dayer at Brisbane.

The 34-year-old bat, who hit a run-a-ball 36 in his ODI debut yesterday, told BBC Radio Five Live, ''I have 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's was the best score by an England player in the match but it was not enough to prevent yet another defeat Down Under.

Meanwhile, Loye it was a ''compliment and a half'' to hear people describe his six off Brett Lee as the shot of the tournament.

The right-hander dropped onto his knee to slog sweep Lee out of the ground at Gabba.

''It's a calculated gamble. 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 per cent about and not be half-hearted with at all,'' he added.

UNI