Pope Reinforces Position to England Cricket's No 3 Role with Strong 90 Versus Lions

It's hard to determine how significant of England's practice match will be remotely relevant when their Ashes contest kicks off not far at the Perth venue on the coming Friday – no distance in space or time but light years away in significance and mood – but if it achieved nothing more than enhancing Ollie Pope's assurance, that alone has made the endeavor valuable.

The English side's No 3 – that much is surely absolutely established – built on his initial innings ton by adding a further 90 in the follow-up innings, and the most remarkable was not so much the number of runs but the manner in which they were made. On occasion the 27-year-old appeared commanding, hitting a twelve boundaries and a pair of maximums, connecting with the ball perfectly but with devilish determination.

This was only a exhibition game against a England Lions team that used exactly 11 pitchers during a contest staged in before a small group of onlookers in a local ground, but it was still hugely noteworthy. For the record, England, chasing of 202 after the Lions declared their second innings on 251 for six, won by five wickets when Jamie Smith raced the team past the conclusion with a series of boundaries.

Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, the two other significant first-innings' performers, both were dismissed in the second innings, while Root added further points – 31 on this time – but was far from more assured, then being bemused and accordingly out by Will Jacks. Brook experienced an similar end soon afterwards.

Shoaib Bashir – who concluded the fixture having bowled 12 bowling spells for both teams – will have faced some of the strokes he bowled to quite aggressive. His initial six deliveries against the Lions went for 56, with McKinney feasting to pitching that if not entirely poor was surely not very dangerous.

After the sixth over of those deliveries, England's three other bowlers had allowed roughly the equivalent amount of runs – 57 – from 15, though the bowler grew a little less generous in time, allowing 27 from his remaining six. He claimed one dismissal, holding a clever, low grab, diving to his right side, to finish Jacob Bethell's innings for 70, off 80 balls.

Jacob Bethell, compensating for managing merely a small score in the first innings, was one of three players half-centurions in the Lions' leading batsmen. Ben McKinney's scores from opening batsman were more consistent than those from their No 3: he made 66 in their initial knock and scored 68 in their second, facing 61 balls over his 50 runs, with five fours and two maximums, each against Bashir's bowling. Jacob Bethell made 68 prior to a mis-hit to Ben Stokes at cover position, who made a low catch at shin level.

Jordan Cox showed like consistency, and built on his initial innings' 53 with a further 57, at about a scoring rate of one. He produced some exceptionally handsome hits en route, including a drive down the ground and a pull shot off consecutive Brydon Carse deliveries to reach his half century.

Following his absence from the first day of this fixture with a stomach issue and made just the least significant of inputs to the second day, Brydon Carse pitched excellently when finally afforded the shot, with Ben McKinney and Cox part of his three dismissals.

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