Since he made his first-class debut for Queensland in the 1992-93 Sheffield Shield final at the age of 18, Martin Love has been the man for the big occasion and the lame pun. An upright, stately batsman with the mindset to bat for long periods, Love made a searing 146 when Queensland finally won their first Sheffield Shield – after 68 barren years – in 1994-95. Five years later he made another century in the final, a six-hour 100 which secured a draw and with it the Pura Cup. Love pushed himself to the front of the cab-rank with not one but two effortless double-centuries against the touring English team in 2002-03; when he made his debut in the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne, he did so with a first-class average the right side of 50. Rob Smyth

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