Ollie Pope Cements Claim to England's No 3 Role with Strong 90 Versus Lions

It's hard to gauge how significant of England's practice match will prove relevant when their Ashes series contest begins a short distance away at Perth Stadium on Friday – a short span in geography or duration but light years away in importance and mood – but if it accomplished nothing more than enhancing Ollie Pope's assurance, that by itself has made the effort beneficial.

The English side's number three batsman – that much is certainly totally certain – built on his initial innings hundred by notching an additional 90 in the follow-up innings, and the most impressive was not so much the total of runs but the manner in which they were made. Periodically the young batsman appeared imperious, striking a dozen fours and a couple of maximums, timing the ball sweetly but with devilish determination.

It was only a practice match against a England Lions squad that used a total of 11 bowlers during a contest staged in amid a small group of spectators in a open field, but it was still hugely impressive. To note, England, set a target of 202 following the Lions ended their second innings on 251 for six, won by a margin of five wickets after Smith raced the team past the conclusion with a stream of boundaries.

Crawley and Ben Duckett, the other two major first-innings' performers, both failed in the follow-up, while Joe Root made several more points – 31 on this time – but was not enormously more assured, before being confused and accordingly dismissed by Will Jacks. Brook met an identical fate a little later.

Shoaib Bashir – who ended the game having delivered 12 overs for both teams – will have found part of the hitting he bowled to quite aggressive. His initial six overs versus the Lions cost 56, with McKinney taking advantage to deliveries that if not entirely poor was certainly not overly intimidating.

By the conclusion the sixth of that period, the English side's other bowlers had allowed roughly the identical number of runs – 57 – from 15, though Bashir turned a somewhat less generous in time, giving up 27 from his final six. He secured one dismissal, taking a smart, low-down grab, leaning to his right side, to conclude Bethell's innings for 70, facing 80 balls.

Jacob Bethell, compensating for managing merely three in the first innings, was one of a trio of half-centurions in the Lions team's top order. Ben McKinney's performances from opening batsman were more consistent than those from their number three: he notched 66 in their initial knock and went two better in their second, using 61 deliveries over his half-century, with five boundaries and two six-hit shots, the pair off Bashir's deliveries. Bethell got to 68 then a mishit to Ben Stokes at cover, who held a stooping catch at ankle height.

Cox showed comparable consistency, and built on his initial innings' 53 with another 57, at slightly more than a run a ball. He played a few outstandingly elegant strokes on the way, including a drive down the ground and a pull against successive Carse deliveries to attain his 50 runs.

After missing the opening day of this match with a illness and provided just the most minor of contributions to the follow-up, Carse bowled excellently when eventually given the chance, with McKinney and Cox part of his three dismissals.

This report may be updated