Love lets bat do the talking

Love passed 10,000 career runs against England

As part of a Queensland side that has won the last three domestic titles, it is perhaps understandable that Martin Love has not stood out more during a 10-year career.

Surrounded by batsmen of the calibre of Jimmy Maher, Stuart Law, Andrew Symonds and, Australia allowing, opener Matthew Hayden, Love is no superstar.

But when he reached 197 against England in Hobart on Friday, the 28-year-old took his career total in first-class cricket to10,000 runs.

I've got no say in selection, other than to keep scoring runs

Martin Love

An over later he brought up his sixth career double century - unfortunately for England his second in the last month.

Report: Love makes England pay

Just as in Brisbane prior to the first Test, when Love racked up 250, the toiling tourists appeared to have little answer to the man from Mundubbera.

The sight of an Australian batsman dispatching the England attack to all parts has become a common one.

But what has marked Love out is his ability to go back into his shell when the situation dictates.

Yet the stylish right-hander barely got a mention when the candidates were lining up to take Mark Waugh's spot in the Test team.

State captain Jimmy Maher and New South Wales youngster Michael Clarke were the front-runners, along with eventual winner Darren Lehmann.

As the Test team has dominated world cricket, a whole generation, including Maher, Lehmann and Law could justifiably claim not to have been given a decent chance by the selectors.

Love hit 250 for Queensland against England

Most, though, have at least appeared in a handful of one-day internationals.

Yet, although he has been overlooked at international level since playing in the under-19 side in 1992/93, Love has not been left out in the cold by the powers that be.

In 2001 he was included for the first time in the Australian Cricket Board's list of 25 centrally contracted players, a list normally far more speculative than England's.

And his appearance in the Australia A side - designed as the second-best XI in the country - shows he is far from a forgotten man.

Sneak peek

Love has spent two seasons in county cricket with Durham, claiming that his technique, especially on slow pitches, has improved as a result.

County bowlers were bashed for 1,364 County Championship runs at an average of 50.51 in 2001, but last summer saw Love suffer a broken finger that kept him out of action.

  Martin Love fact file

Born: 30 March 1974, Mundubbera, Qld

Teams: Queensland, Durham

First class record:
126 matches
10,003 runs at 50.27
Best: 251

One-day record:
100 matches
2906 at 33.02
Best: 127*

Love admitted that his time in county cricket had helped him prepare.

"You get that inside look at them prior to playing the full strength England team so you're not making it up as you go along," he said after stumps in Hobart.

Every cricketer dreams of playing for his country and Love is no different, but he is pragmatic about what he can do to gain a spot in the Test team.

"You always hope but ultimately I've got no say in that, other than to keep scoring runs," he went on.

"I can't worry what the selectors do or who scores runs in the Australian team.

"All I can do it keep scoring runs and put pressure on those guys in that Australian team."