Ollie Pope Reinforces Position to England Cricket's Number Three Role with Impressive 90 Versus Lions

It is hard to know how relevant of England's practice match will prove meaningful when their Ashes campaign starts a short distance away at Perth Stadium on the coming Friday – no distance in space or time but ages away in significance and mood – but if it managed nothing more than boosting Ollie Pope's confidence, that alone has rendered the endeavor valuable.

The English side's number three batsman – that point is undoubtedly completely established – built on his first-innings ton by notching another 90 in the second, and the truly remarkable was not merely the quantity of runs but the style in which they were made. At times the player seemed commanding, hitting a dozen boundaries and a couple of sixes, hitting the ball perfectly but with devilish intent.

It was just a friendly versus a England Lions squad that employed a total of 11 bowlers throughout a game played in front of a handful of onlookers in a public park, but it was still extremely impressive. To note, England, set a target of 202 once the Lions declared their second innings on 251 for six, succeeded by a margin of five wickets once Smith hurried the team across the winning target with a stream of boundaries.

Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, the remaining significant first-innings achievers, both were dismissed in the second innings, while Root added several more runs – 31 on this time – but was not enormously more dominant, prior to being bemused and subsequently out by Will Jacks. Harry Brook experienced an similar end a little later.

Shoaib Bashir – who concluded the fixture having delivered 12 bowling spells for both teams – will have encountered part of the hitting he confronted rather aggressive. His initial six deliveries against the Lions cost 56, with McKinney taking advantage to pitching that if not completely loose was certainly far from dangerous.

At the end the sixth over of those deliveries, the English side's other pitchers had conceded nearly exactly the same total of points – 57 – from 15, though Bashir grew a slightly less leaky later on, conceding 27 from his remaining six. He claimed a single wicket, holding a clever, diving grab, falling to his right side, to end Bethell's innings for 70, facing 80 balls.

Bethell, compensating for scoring just three in the first innings, was a member of three players with fifties in the Lions' leading batsmen. McKinney's performances from opening batsman were more consistent than those from their No 3: he scored 66 in their first batting effort and scored 68 in their second innings, using 61 balls to reach his fifty, with five fours and a couple maximums, each from Bashir's deliveries. Bethell made 68 before a mishit to Ben Stokes at cover, who made a bending catch at low down.

Jordan Cox exhibited similar steadiness, and built on his first-innings 53 with a further 57, at just over a run a ball. He produced a few remarkably beautiful shots en route, including a drive down the ground and a hook against back-to-back Carse balls to attain his 50 runs.

Having missed the first day of this match with a stomach issue and contributed just the most minor of efforts to the second day, Brydon Carse delivered superbly when at last provided the chance, with Ben McKinney and Cox part of his three scalps.

This report may be updated