Pope Cements Position to England Cricket's Number Three Slot with Strong 90 Versus Lions

It is tough to know how significant of the English team's preparatory game will prove important when their Ashes contest begins 10km away at Perth Stadium on the coming Friday – no distance in space or time but ages away in importance and mood – but if it accomplished nothing more than boosting Ollie Pope's self-belief, that on its own has made the effort worthwhile.

The English side's number three batsman – that point is certainly completely certain – built on his initial innings ton by notching an additional 90 in the second innings, and what was impressive was not so much the total of runs but the manner in which they were scored. At times the player looked imperious, striking a twelve boundaries and a two of maximums, hitting the ball beautifully but with devilish purpose.

This was only a exhibition game versus a England Lions squad that employed fully 11 bowlers during a contest staged in front of a small group of onlookers in a local ground, but it was nevertheless extremely impressive. To note, England, set a target of 202 following the Lions declared their second innings on 251 for six, won by five wickets when Jamie Smith hurried the team past the conclusion with a flurry of boundaries.

Crawley and Duckett, the two other major first-innings' achievers, both were dismissed in the follow-up, while Root made additional points – 31 on this instance – but was not significantly more dominant, before being confused and subsequently bowled by Jacks. Harry Brook met an identical fate a little later.

Bashir – who ended the fixture having bowled 12 bowling spells for each side – will have found part of the strokes he bowled to rather aggressive. His first six overs versus the Lions cost 56, with Ben McKinney tucking in to pitching that if not completely wayward was definitely far from dangerous.

After the sixth of that period, the English side's remaining three pitchers had given away roughly the same number of runs – 57 – from 15, though the bowler turned a slightly less generous in time, conceding 27 from his final six. He claimed one dismissal, holding a clever, low catch, leaning to his right side, to end Jacob Bethell's batting stint for 70, facing 80 deliveries.

Bethell, making up for scoring just three in the opening knock, was one of a trio of players with fifties in the Lions' leading batsmen. McKinney's scores from opener were more reliable than those from their No 3: he made 66 in their first innings and improved by two in their second innings, facing 61 deliveries for his 50 runs, with five boundaries and a couple six-hit shots, each off Bashir's pitching. Jacob Bethell got to 68 prior to a poor shot to Stokes at cover, who held a low grab at low down.

Cox showed like consistency, and backed up his initial innings' 53 with an additional 57, at just over a run per delivery. He produced some remarkably handsome hits during his innings, including a straight hit and a pull off back-to-back Brydon Carse balls to reach his half century.

Having missed the initial day of this match with a stomach upset and made just the least significant of efforts to the follow-up, Brydon Carse delivered brilliantly when finally provided the shot, with Ben McKinney and Jordan Cox included in his three scalps.

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