Ollie Pope Strengthens Claim to England Cricket's Number Three Slot with Impressive 90 Against Lions

It's tough to determine how relevant of England's preparatory fixture will prove important when their Ashes contest begins not far at the Perth venue on Friday – a brief gap in geography or duration but worlds away in significance and atmosphere – but if it managed nothing more than boosting Pope's self-belief, that by itself has made the exercise valuable.

The English side's No 3 – that much is undoubtedly totally clear – built on his initial innings hundred by notching an additional 90 in the follow-up innings, and the truly remarkable was not merely the quantity of scored runs but the manner in which they were scored. Periodically the 27-year-old looked imperious, hitting a dozen boundaries and a pair of sixes, hitting the ball perfectly but with fierce purpose.

This was just a exhibition game versus a Lions squad that employed exactly 11 pitchers across a contest played in front of a small group of spectators in a public park, but it was nevertheless very praiseworthy. To note, the England team, needing of 202 once the Lions declared their second innings on 251 for six, won by five wickets once Jamie Smith hurried the team past the winning target with a flurry of boundaries.

Zak Crawley and Duckett, the other two significant first-innings' achievers, both were dismissed in the second innings, while Joe Root scored further points – 31 on this time – but was far from more dominant, then being puzzled and duly dismissed by Jacks. Harry Brook met an identical outcome shortly after.

Shoaib Bashir – who finished the match having bowled 12 overs for each side – will have faced part of the hitting he bowled to rather aggressive. His opening six deliveries versus the Lions cost 56, with McKinney taking advantage to bowling that if not completely poor was certainly not overly threatening.

By the conclusion the sixth of that period, the English side's three other bowlers had conceded roughly the identical number of points – 57 – from 15, though the bowler grew a little less giving in time, conceding 27 from his final six. He took one dismissal, taking a sharp, low snare, diving to his right, to finish Jacob Bethell's innings for 70, off 80 balls.

Jacob Bethell, redeeming achieving merely three in the first innings, was one of three players with fifties in the Lions' leading batsmen. Ben McKinney's scores from opening batsman were more consistent than those from their No 3: he scored 66 in their first innings and scored 68 in their follow-up, taking 61 deliveries over his 50 runs, with five and a couple maximums, both from Bashir's bowling. Jacob Bethell reached 68 prior to a mishit to Stokes at cover position, who took a bending grab at shin level.

Cox showed like reliability, and backed up his first-innings 53 with a further 57, at about a scoring rate of one. There were a few outstandingly elegant hits during his innings, including a straight hit and a pull shot against successive Brydon Carse balls to reach his 50 runs.

Having missed the initial day of this game with a stomach issue and provided only the smallest of efforts to the second day, Brydon Carse delivered brilliantly when finally provided the shot, with Ben McKinney and Jordan Cox part of his three wickets.

This report may be updated