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For a batter of Ollie Pope’s class, averaging just 34 for a span of 48 Tests might not look good enough, but on his day, the stand-in England skipper for the three-match Test series against Sri Lanka can produce match-winning knocks. After four relatively poor outings, Pope roared back to form with a stroke-filled century in the first innings of the final Test at the Oval.
The opening day of the Test was as dank as it could get, and the conditions looked helpful for the bowlers. However, Sri Lankan bowlers failed to pitch the ball on the right areas consistently, which led to England scoring freely and quickly. Pope who came in No 3, showed intent right from the outset and batted with flair.
Finding comfort at his home ground has been a feature for Ollie Pope all through his first-class career as he continued his first dominant run at the Oval. Despite the conditions remaining gloomy for most of Day 1, Pope was hardly troubled by the Sri Lankan bowlers as he notched up his seventh Test century.
He added a quickfire 95 with Ben Duckett who was looking in blistering touch. Pope didn't try to take a leaf out of Duckett’s book and relied on his personal strengths to conjure the runs. He kept finding the boundaries consistently, and while he played some false shots, it has become part and parcel of this new England regime under Brendon McCullum.
It was Pope’s first Test century at the Oval, but he has a tremendous first class record at his home ground.
Coming into this game, Pope had a stellar record at the Oval, scoring 2742 runs at an average of 80.64 in 43 innings. He has scored eight fifties and 11 centuries with a highest score of 274 at the venue and will look to conjure a few more runs in the second innings if he gets an opportunity.
Ollie Pope creates record with Oval hundred
Ollie Pope became the first batter in Test cricket to score his first seven Test centuries against as many different oppositions.
Pope went onto smash a few more boundaries on the second day before he was eventually dismissed after scoring a stroke-filled 154 off 156, which was studded with 19 fours and a couple of sixes.
Following the conclusion of his innings, Pope, in 44 first-class matches, has scored 2896 runs at an average of 82.74, including 12 centuries and 8 fifties. While it was his first Test century at the Oval, he had looked good in his previous assignments at the ground.
After this knock, Pope has scored 315 runs in five Tests at the Oval at an average of 78.75 with a couple of fifties and a century. Pope’s love affair at his home ground has been a sight to behold for English fans. His highest first-class score of 274 came against Glamorgan in 2021.
While many can argue that it's due to the good batting tracks that Pope has scored so many runs at the Oval, the question is why have the other batters not been able to achieve the feat. Pope feels at ease whenever he bats at the Oval, be it first-class or international cricket. He has a great record at the venue, even in List A matches.
