Pope Reinforces Claim to England Cricket's Number Three Slot with Bold 90 Against Lions

It is difficult to gauge how relevant of England's warm-up game will end up being meaningful when their Ashes contest kicks off a short distance away at Perth Stadium on the coming Friday – no distance in space or time but light years away in import and mood – but if it managed solely boosting Ollie Pope's confidence, that on its own has rendered the endeavor valuable.

England's No 3 – that much is surely totally established – built on his initial innings ton by scoring an additional 90 in the second innings, and the truly remarkable was not so much the total of runs but the style in which they were made. Periodically the young batsman appeared dominant, striking a dozen fours and a two of sixes, timing the ball perfectly but with devilish determination.

It was merely a exhibition game versus a England Lions side that used fully 11 bowlers throughout a match staged in front of a small group of people in a public park, but it was still hugely impressive. For the record, England, chasing of 202 following the Lions ended their follow-on innings on 251 for six, triumphed by five wickets when Smith raced the team across the conclusion with a stream of fours and sixes.

Zak Crawley and Duckett, the other two major first-innings achievers, both failed in the second knock, while Root added further points – 31 on this occasion – but was not significantly more assured, before being puzzled and accordingly dismissed by Jacks. Harry Brook suffered an identical outcome a little later.

Shoaib Bashir – who ended the fixture having bowled 12 bowling spells for each side – will have encountered a portion of the batting he faced rather hostile. His initial six deliveries versus the Lions cost 56, with Ben McKinney taking advantage to bowling that if not entirely poor was definitely far from intimidating.

At the end the sixth of those overs, England's other bowlers had allowed roughly the identical total of runs – 57 – from 15, though the bowler grew a little less giving as time passed, conceding 27 from his final six. He took a single wicket, taking a smart, low-down grab, falling to his right side, to end Jacob Bethell's knock for 70, facing 80 deliveries.

Bethell, making up for scoring only three runs in the first innings, was among a trio of players with fifties in the Lions' top order. McKinney's performances from opener were steadier than those of their number three: he made 66 in their first innings and scored 68 in their second innings, taking 61 balls over his fifty, with five and a couple six-hit shots, both against Bashir's pitching. Jacob Bethell made 68 then a poor shot to Stokes at cover position, who made a low catch at low down.

Cox displayed similar steadiness, and backed up his first-innings 53 with another 57, at slightly more than a run a ball. There were a few exceptionally handsome hits on the way, including a drive down the ground and a pull shot off back-to-back Brydon Carse balls to achieve his fifty.

After missing the initial day of this fixture with a stomach upset and provided just the smallest of efforts to the second, Carse bowled superbly when eventually provided the opportunity, with Ben McKinney and Cox part of his three scalps.

This report may be updated