Pope makes warm-up ton but Root and Brook miss out

2 hours ago7 min read

In a performance that blended textbook technique with gritty determination, Ollie Pope delivered a commanding century at Lilac Hill, cementing his position in England's lineup for the crucial first Ashes Test on November 21st. While the placid Perth pitch offered little of the ferocious pace and swing England's batters will inevitably face at Optus Stadium next week, Pope’s measured 100 was a masterclass in seizing an opportunity, a stark contrast to the concerning dismissals of key teammates Joe Root and the newly appointed vice-captain, Harry Brook.The day unfolded with a narrative of two halves: a blistering opening stand of 182 between Ben Duckett (92) and Zak Crawley (82), who rattled along at over six runs an over, only for the innings to suffer a dramatic mid-order collapse of four wickets for just 16 runs. It was in this mini-crisis that Pope, alongside captain Ben Stokes, rebuilt with a patient 137-run partnership, a partnership that felt less about flamboyant strokeplay and more about the vital accumulation of time in the middle—a currency as valuable as runs in Ashes preparations.Stokes, returning from a four-month shoulder layoff, was initially watchful, grinding out 50 from 92 deliveries before unleashing his characteristic power to smash 34 from his next 19, a clear sign of his rhythm returning at the perfect moment. Yet, the spectre of what might be England's final innings before the Test series cast a long shadow over the performances of Root and Brook.Root, a player whose record in Australia is under intense scrutiny from the local media, played an uncharacteristically loose hook shot off Matthew Potts to be dismissed for a solitary run, a dismissal that will only fuel the narrative of his struggles on Australian soil. More alarming was the innings of Brook, whose brief stay of two runs was an exhibition of disdain for the practice match format; he charged seamers, attempted reckless T20 scoops, and was ultimately bowled while ending up outside leg stump, a display utterly at odds with the 'balls to the wall' intensity Stokes had promised.This tour match, however, was about more than just the batters. The Lions' Matthew Potts, himself part of the broader Ashes squad, bowled with impressive control and menace, his figures of 3-66 not fully reflecting his threat and bolstering his case significantly amid growing injury concerns.The sight of Mark Wood, England's premier pace weapon, on the sidelines with his left hamstring heavily strapped awaiting scan results, immediately elevates the importance of every other seamer. Potts, previously considered at the bottom of a six-man pace pecking order, now finds himself a genuine contender if Wood is unavailable.Further complicating the selection puzzle was the underwhelming showing of spinners Shoaib Bashir and Will Jacks, who were comfortably handled by the Lions' batters, making an all-pace attack for the first Test an increasingly likely prospect. While the value of these gentle warm-up matches is often debated, the takeaways from Perth are profound: Pope and Stokes have found their timing, the opening partnership looks dynamic, but the form of two of England's most explosive batsmen, Root and Brook, remains a significant question mark. With the Ashes urn on the line, England's management must now weigh the benefits of giving Root another chance at the crease on Saturday against the risk of further denting his confidence, while hoping Brook's recklessness was merely an anomaly and not a sign of things to come under the cauldron-like pressure of a Gabba Test.

#featured

#Ashes

#England

#tour match

#Ollie Pope

#Joe Root

#Harry Brook

#Ben Stokes

#Mark Wood injury

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