Ollie Pope staked his right to bat at number three in the first Test in Perth on 21 November, hitting England’s first Ashes tour century on the second day of warm-up against the Lions.
Pope held Jacob Bethel to just two runs in the Lions’ first day at bat, scoring exactly 100 off 113 pitches, holding off Jacob Bethel, who is gunning for the starting spot.
England openers Ben Duckett (92 points) and Zak Crawley (82 points) also scored 182 points in the opening game against Andrew Flintoff’s Lions, followed by captain Ben Stokes, who scored 77 of his side’s total of 426 points.
“Ollie played great today. He’s got great touch,” Crowley said after the play. “He’s in really good shape with his game and seems very focused.”
However, there was a double disappointment for the midfield pair of Joe Root (No. 1) and Harry Brook (No. 2), with Root missing a pull from Durham’s Matthew Potts, who is part of England’s touring squad, and being caught out, while Brook was bowled after lunging towards Warwickshire’s Nathan Gilchrist.
England vice-captain Harry Brook missed the second day of the Ashes warm-up match against the England Lions, scoring just two goals.
Both players are vital to England’s prospects in the Ashes, but any hopes of getting any valuable time at the crease disappeared amid a mini-collapse of 4-16 after a wicketless morning session.
The teams faced 28 deliveries in total, but Brook was particularly impatient in his short stay, advancing down the track three times and attempting a falling ramp shot, which was almost brought back by seamer Matt Fisher with the toe-end of his bat.
Root’s lack of a century in 14 Tests in Australia has been the subject of much discussion heading into the Ashes, but Crawley downplayed his early departure, saying: “He’s spent a lot of time in the midfield over the last few years. I think he’ll be fine.”
“We’re doing our best, making the most of what we have, so we’ll be ready next week.”
Pope fell just after reaching triple figures and was bowled out while trying to sweep England’s frontline spinner Shoaib Bashir, conceding 68 from 16 overs and ending his hopes of starting the first Test.
Mark Wood was sent for hamstring tests in the afternoon and was ruled to have suffered a serious setback.
Australia’s Green fails with bat in Sheffield Shield
Cameron Green and Marnus Labuschagne, two of the favorites to start for Australia in the first Test in Perth next week, took to the field as the Sheffield Shield clash between Western Australia and Queensland came to a thrilling conclusion at WACA on Friday.
Setting 272 for victory on the final day, Western Australia slipped through the line to claim a one-wicket win thanks to an uninterrupted 23 runs between Corey Lokicholi (24th) and Cameron Gannon (10th) on the final wicket.
Australia’s Cameron Green was sent off for 17 points on the final day of Western Australia’s dramatic Sheffield Shield win over Queensland.
Green, an all-rounder, was previously sent off after just 17 pitches while batting at No. 4, and was unable to make any significant contributions with the bat, such as his 94 hits in the first inning.
Labuscagne, who plays for Queensland, will be the opening batsman for Australia in the first Test, but he made his biggest contribution with the ball in his hands on the final day.
The part-time medium pacer beat Aaron Hardy for 12 and it looked like Western Australia were headed for defeat, but final pair Rocchicioli and Gannon intervened.
Australian Ashes Series 2025-26
always UK and Ireland
First Test: Friday 21st November – Tuesday 25th November (2.30am) – Optus Stadium, Perth Second Test (day/night): Thursday 4th December – Monday 8th December (4.30am) – The Gabba, Brisbane Third Test: Wednesday 17th December – Sunday 21st December (12am) – Adelaide Oval Fourth Test: Thursday 25th December – Monday 29th December (11.30pm) – Melbourne Cricket Ground Fifth Test: Sunday 4th January – Thursday 8th January (11.30pm) – Sydney Cricket Ground
