Former England spinner Graeme Swann has delivered a scathing assessment of Ollie Pope's batting after the England number three suffered another cheap dismissal on day two of the third Ashes Test in Adelaide.
Pope's Painful Dismissal Under Scrutiny
England's hopes of mounting a significant reply to Australia's first-innings total of 371 suffered an early blow when Ollie Pope departed for just three runs. The batter, under pressure to revive his Test career, lasted only 10 balls at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday 18 December 2025.
Australia's captain Pat Cummins introduced spinner Nathan Lyon into the attack, a move that paid immediate dividends. Pope, reaching for a delivery outside off-stump, lazily flicked the ball to midwicket where Josh Inglis accepted a straightforward catch.
The 27-year-old now averages a meagre 17.66 against Australia, leading to intense speculation that his tenure as England's first-drop batter is nearing its end unless he can produce a match-winning performance in the second innings.
Swann's Stinging Critique on TNT Sports
Analysing the match for TNT Sports, Graeme Swann did not hold back in his criticism, pinpointing Pope's wicket as the pivotal moment that allowed Lyon to seize control of the game.
"Lyon was allowed to bowl really well by that gift being handed to him in his first over," Swann stated. "Ollie Pope, lack of footwork, lazily chipping it to midwicket, an awful dismissal for a Test No 3."
Swann argued that the wicket changed England's approach. "And then the left-hander's [Ben Duckett] on strike, gets a good ball. Because of those two wickets, Nathan Lyon was then treated with the respect that he shouldn't have been given basically."
England's Rocky Innings and Late Resistance
Lyon struck again shortly after, clean bowling Ben Duckett as England's innings threatened to unravel. However, a spirited late partnership between captain Ben Stokes, who finished the day unbeaten on 45, and fast bowler Jofra Archer, 30 not out, provided the tourists with a glimmer of hope.
England closed day two on 213 for 8, still trailing Australia by 158 runs. The home side's bowlers toiled in oppressive heat exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, with 11 overs remaining at the start of day three before the second new ball becomes available.
Lyon praised his team's collective effort in challenging conditions. "Pretty proud about how the boys went about it," he told TNT Sports. "Pat's been phenomenal as captain as always, but the effort from our fast bowlers to get them 213-8 off 68 overs, it's a pretty big effort, so rest up, recover and we'll have another crack in the morning."
The match situation leaves England requiring a monumental effort from their last-wicket pair to avoid conceding a potentially decisive first-innings deficit in the crucial third Test.
