Ollie Pope Cements Claim to England's No 3 Slot with Bold 90 Versus Lions

It's hard to know how relevant of England's preparatory fixture will end up being relevant when their Ashes contest kicks off 10km away at the Perth venue on the coming Friday – no distance in space or time but worlds away in import and mood – but if it managed only enhancing Pope's assurance, that alone has made the endeavor worthwhile.

England's number three batsman – that point is undoubtedly absolutely clear – built on his initial innings hundred by scoring a further 90 in the second, and the most remarkable was not merely the quantity of runs but the way in which they were scored. At times the player looked dominant, smashing a twelve boundaries and a two of sixes, timing the ball perfectly but with aggressive determination.

It was only a practice match against a England Lions side that employed a total of 11 bowlers during a contest staged in front of a small group of spectators in a open field, but it was still very praiseworthy. Officially, England, set a target of 202 once the Lions declared their second innings on 251 for six, won by five wickets after Jamie Smith raced the team across the conclusion with a flurry of boundaries.

Zak Crawley and Duckett, the other two significant first-innings' achievers, both fell short in the second innings, while Root made several more points – 31 on this time – but was not enormously more convincing, before being bemused and accordingly dismissed by Will Jacks. Harry Brook experienced an identical outcome a little later.

Shoaib Bashir – who finished the match having bowled 12 bowling spells for either team – will have encountered part of the hitting he bowled to rather challenging. His initial six overs against the Lions went for 56, with Ben McKinney feasting to bowling that if not entirely poor was surely not very threatening.

After the sixth spell of those deliveries, England's three other pitchers had conceded almost precisely the equivalent total of points – 57 – from 15, though Bashir grew a somewhat less generous as time passed, giving up 27 from his remaining six. He claimed one wicket, holding a clever, low-down snare, falling to his right, to finish Bethell's batting stint for 70, facing 80 deliveries.

Bethell, making up for achieving just a small score in the initial innings, was among three fifty-scorers in the Lions' top order. McKinney's performances from opener were more consistent than those of their No 3: he made 66 in their first innings and went two better in their second, facing 61 deliveries for his fifty, with five fours and two maximums, both against Bashir's deliveries. Jacob Bethell made 68 prior to a poor shot to Stokes at cover, who held a low catch at ankle height.

Cox displayed similar consistency, and followed his first-innings 53 with an additional 57, at just over a run a ball. He produced a few outstandingly beautiful hits during his innings, featuring a drive down the ground and a pull shot off back-to-back Brydon Carse balls to attain his fifty.

Following his absence from the initial day of this match with a stomach upset and made only the smallest of inputs to the second day, Carse pitched brilliantly when finally provided the opportunity, with McKinney and Jordan Cox among his three dismissals.

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