Michael Atherton lauds Ollie Pope's 'courageous' century against Sri Lanka
Ollie Pope, the stand-in skipper of the England cricket team, has been commended by former batter Michael Atherton for his impressive hundred in the third and final Test against Sri Lanka. Pope, who stepped up as captain due to Ben Stokes's injury, scored a remarkable 154 from just 156 balls in the first innings at Kennington Oval in London. His exceptional batting included 19 fours and two sixes.
Pope's performance boosts England's score
Pope's outstanding batting significantly contributed to England's first innings total of 325 runs in 69.1 overs. Prior to this match, the 26-year-old had been facing criticism due to his low scores in the first two Tests, where he managed only 30 runs across four innings. Despite this pressure, Atherton praised Pope for his resilient performance under scrutiny during a conversation with Sky Sports.
Pope's century sets new records
Pope's century in this match was his seventh in Test cricket, and notably impressive given his First-Class average score of 80 at Kennington Oval. This achievement also set a new record as he became the first player in Test history to score his initial seven centuries against seven different teams. Additionally, Pope recorded the second-fastest century by an England Test captain, reaching this milestone in just 102 balls.
Broad and Hussain praise Pope's adaptability
Stuart Broad, former England pacer, highlighted how familiar conditions at aided Pope in regaining his form. He praised Pope's adaptability during the innings, noting that despite an initial frantic pace, he quickly found his rhythm. Nasser Hussain, another ex-England captain also lauded Pope for his ability to perform under pressure while maintaining an aggressive stance.
Pope's century steers England toward potential series whitewash
Pope's century not only solidified England's position in the match but also alleviated some of the scrutiny surrounding his leadership skills and ability to perform under pressure. With a 2-0 lead in the series already, Pope's performance has set England on track for a potential series whiteshow. If successful, this would mark England's first clean sweep of home Test series since 2004.
