Ollie Pope has denied that the England team “didn’t make a fuss” during the troubled Ashes series, but understands why the players were criticized.
Ben Stokes’ tourists, who lost the series 4-1 to Australia, are currently under review by the England and Wales Cricket Board, with the tour’s planning, preparations, individual performances and actions all under scrutiny.
Apart from the overall win on the field, concerns about the team’s culture emerged during the break in Noosa, with reports of excessive drinking by players, followed by revelations about an altercation between vice-captain Harry Brook and a nightclub bouncer before the Ashes visit to New Zealand.
But Pope insisted England were intent on beating Australia and could have been more successful had they made a competitive start in the first Test in Perth.
The Surrey batsman spoke out after the ECB reversed plans to stop Ashes players from speaking to the media while it carries out a review ahead of the new season.
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“There was a lot of talk going into that series about the preparation. There might be a misconception that as a team we weren’t as fussed about as much as it seemed,” the 28-year-old said at Surrey’s pre-season media day.
“What was tough for everyone in that first game was the nature of the game. If we had won it and done a little bit better on the second day, the mindset would have been different.
Ollie Pope averaged just 20.83 in six innings in the first three Tests, which England lost 4-1 in the Ashes series.
“Of course we want to be a team that is liked on and off the pitch, but unfortunately our performance in Australia didn’t allow us to achieve that.
“I understand why people felt that way, but at the same time it was probably difficult to realize that we weren’t making a fuss. All we wanted to do was go and win the Ashes.
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“Personally, everyone is trying to withstand the pressure of the Ashes series, trying to get the best out of themselves and do what they can.
“All everyone wanted was to win. And for us there were times in our minds we were just trying to take the pressure off of the actual Test match.”
Among the criticisms of England was that they were poorly prepared for the Ashes, which consisted of only a three-day match against the England Lions at Lilac Hill in Perth before the first Test in the city.
“As in previous years, we tried to treat it like a regular series to the best of our ability. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned,” Pope said.
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“It wasn’t ideal batting at Lilac Hill because then you go to Perth and play and the conditions are the opposite, but that’s the card you were dealt.
“And we certainly have experience over the past few years in places like New Zealand, Pakistan and India where that kind of preparation has worked.
“I know I have to be as prepared as I can be. From a personal standpoint, I felt as prepared as I could be for the first test.”
Pope was dropped after the third Test in Adelaide, averaging just 20.83 runs in the first three matches, but struggled to regain his place in England, declaring, “I feel my best batting years are yet to come.”
Surrey’s County Championship campaign begins on Friday, April 3, when they take on Warwickshire at Edgbaston.
