Ollie Pope delivered a commanding performance, strengthening his position as England's number three batsman with a brilliant knock of 90 runs in the team's final Ashes warm-up match against the England Lions.
The 27-year-old followed up his first-innings century with another dominant display at Lilac Hill, appearing imperious as he timed the ball sweetly but with devilish intent. His innings, which included a dozen fours and two sixes, was as much about the authoritative manner as the quantity of runs.
Pope's Commanding Batting Display
While the match itself was a low-key affair played in a public park before a sparse crowd, Pope's form was hugely impressive. Facing a Lions team that utilised a total of 11 different bowlers, the Surrey batsman looked completely at ease, cementing his claim to a pivotal role in the Test side.
England successfully chased down a target of 202 to win by five wickets, with Jamie Smith providing the finishing flourish with a stream of boundaries. However, the day belonged to Pope, whose confidence will be a significant asset when the Ashes campaign begins in earnest at Perth Stadium, just 10km away.
Mixed Fortunes for Other England Batsmen
There were less convincing performances elsewhere in the England lineup. Openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, who had impressed in the first innings, both failed in the second.
Joe Root added another 31 runs to his tally but was not entirely convincing before being bowled by Will Jacks. Harry Brook suffered an identical fate shortly afterwards, leaving questions about the middle order's readiness.
Lions' Batting and Bowling Highlights
For the Lions, three of their top four batsmen scored half-centuries. Ben McKinney was consistent across both innings, scoring 66 in the first and 68 in the second, including two sixes off the bowling of Shoaib Bashir.
Jacob Bethell made amends for his first-innings score of just three by hitting a rapid 70 from 80 balls before being caught by Bashir. Jordan Cox also impressed with scores of 53 and 57, the latter at better than a run a ball.
Bowler Brydon Carse, who had missed the first day through illness, made a strong comeback, taking three wickets including those of McKinney and Cox. His performance will have given the England selectors plenty to consider ahead of the first Test.
