All posts tagged: Ollie

‘Score loads of runs’: Ollie Pope on roadmap given to make England Test squad comeback | Cricket News

‘Score loads of runs’: Ollie Pope on roadmap given to make England Test squad comeback | Cricket News

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3 min readUpdated: Mar 18, 2026 11:02 AM IST “Go back, score loads of runs”: This is what Ollie Pope said he was told by the England management after being dropped during the 2025/26 Ashes. Pope had been axed after scoring just 125 runs in 6 innings during yet another forgettable campaign Down Under for England. Jacob Bethell took over as number three in the team for the two tests instead of Pope. The 28-year-old acknowledged the decision correct, but he was upset to lose his position. “Getting dropped is tough. I didn’t want to get dropped of course, but it was the right decision at the time,” he is quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo. Since making his Test debut in 2018, Pope had scored 3732 runs in 64 matches at an average of 34.55 with nine centuries and 16 half-centuries. He said that he has a good equation with head coach Brendon McCullum and director of cricket Rob Key. “If I’m not in that XI, can I make sure I’m the best batter in the …

‘No. 3 position carries special status’: Michael Atherton reacts to Ollie Pope’s omission from England’s playing XI for Boxing Day Test against Australia | Cricket News

‘No. 3 position carries special status’: Michael Atherton reacts to Ollie Pope’s omission from England’s playing XI for Boxing Day Test against Australia | Cricket News

Published by Webster

Former England captain Michael Atherton has backed the decision to omit batter Ollie Pope from the playing XI for the Boxing Day Test against Australia in Melbourne. The 57-year-old felt that the right-hander had looked “insecure” at number three, adding that his omission from the side might make head coach Brendon McCullum think that everything was falling apart. “Removing him from the firing line is the right call. The No3 position carries special status in Australia, because it is often where their best players have batted, as opposed to No4 in an England side, but Pope has looked too insecure in what is a vital position. After three poor Tests, his average away from home has dropped below 30, and against Australia it is a paltry 17.” “Putting Pope at No3 was the first big call that Brendon McCullum made as head coach, and dropping him will be a painful reminder of how everything is falling apart,” Atherton wrote in ‘The Times’. He felt that Jofra Archer’s absence from the last two Tests was a …

England drop Ollie Pope for Boxing Day Test, Jofra Archer ruled out of Ashes 2025-26 | Cricket News

England drop Ollie Pope for Boxing Day Test, Jofra Archer ruled out of Ashes 2025-26 | Cricket News

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England has dropped vice-captain Ollie Pope for the fourth test against Australia while pacer Jofra Archer was ruled out of the rest of the series with a left side strain, the visitors announced on Wednesday. “Fast bowler Jofra Archer has been ruled out for the remainder of the tour with a left side strain,” the touring side said in a statement. Pope’s snub doesn’t come as a surprise as the number three batter was struggling with form. He failed to score any fifty in the six innings he played with 46 in the first test being his highest score. Jacob Bethell will replace Pope in the squad and it will be interesting to see how will the batting of the visitors look like for the fourth test. With Archer gone, England has another big gap to fill. The pacer took a fifer in the third test and was the only English bowler who troubled the Australian batting line up with his express pace and precise short balls. Surrey seamer Gus Atkinson will replace Archer as …

‘Ollie Pope is a lost cause’: Geoffrey Boycott tears into England batter after Ashes flop show | Cricket News

‘Ollie Pope is a lost cause’: Geoffrey Boycott tears into England batter after Ashes flop show | Cricket News

Published by Webster

The brickbats are out in full force for England after their 82-run defeat to Australia in Adelaide confirmed that their wait for an Ashes victory will continue beyond this year. The defeat meant that England have fallen 3-0 behind in the series. Australia have held the Ashes since the 2018, with England having failed to beat them in their last two home series and losing 4-0 and twice in 2017/18 and 2021/22. England great Geoffrey Boycott has now said that they have to take a call in changing the structure and dropping those who have consistently underperformed, naming Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope among the batters. “Ollie Pope is a lost cause because he never learns,” wrote Boycott in The Telegraph. “I think he would give his wicket away if he were playing in a county second XI. He can’t help himself as he finds ways to get out that I couldn’t dream up. Somewhere in his head there is a self-destruct button.” Pope has been on slippery ground since before the start of the …

‘I can’t see him batting at number three in Melbourne. To be honest…’ Nasser Hussain on Ollie Pope’s dismal form in the Ashes | Cricket News

‘I can’t see him batting at number three in Melbourne. To be honest…’ Nasser Hussain on Ollie Pope’s dismal form in the Ashes | Cricket News

Published by Webster

With his knock of 17 runs during England’s second innings’ on the fourth day of the Adelaide Test, England number three Ollie Pope failed to get past the 50-run mark in this year’s Ashes so far. The 27-year-old has an average of 20.83 in the series so far and it has led to questions about his place in the England team for the remainder of the series. Former England captain Nasser Hussain believed England should bring Jacob Bethell at number three for the remainder of the series with Pope looking vulnerable up in the batting order. “I can’t see him batting at number three in Melbourne (for the fourth Test). To be honest, his career and his series follow a very similar pattern. It starts well – he started the tour game well, he got runs (46)in the first innings of the first Test, and then slowly he just gets out the same way outside off stump. You want your number three to settle your dressing room, that’s what greats do, they calm the situation …

Ollie Pope embraces pressure, eyes to use demotion as fuel for Ashes redemption

Ollie Pope embraces pressure, eyes to use demotion as fuel for Ashes redemption

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The England squad for the Ashes series witnessed a change in the leadership group as Harry Brook was appointed as the deputy of Ben Stokes for the Australia tour, replacing the otherwise in-charge Ollie Pope. Pope’s leadership in Stokes’ absence was questioned ever since he failed to keep the home team’s 2-1 lead against India as the Shubman Gill side won the final Test at the Oval to level the series two-all. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW VIDEO However, the Surrey batter feels the mounting pressure on him to secure his place in the playing XI has made him more prepared for the Ashes Down Under. “It’s been good for me to have learned that under the most pressure, I’ve been able to deliver. I know I can deal with that and get the best out of myself at times. Everyone wants to be the first name on the team-sheet, that’s pretty clear, but at the same time we’re playing international sport,” Pope was quoted as saying by Sky Sports ahead of the first Ashes Test. Story …

8 Test hundreds vs 8 countries: England’s Ollie Pope sets world record with century against Zimbabwe | Cricket News

8 Test hundreds vs 8 countries: England’s Ollie Pope sets world record with century against Zimbabwe | Cricket News

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England No. 3 Ollie Pope set a new world record after the Bazballers had a field day on the first morning of the cricket summer at home against Zimbabwe on Thursday. Batting first on Day 1 of the four-day Test at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, England piled on a massive 498 for three in 88 overs with the top-3 of the Ben Stokes-led side all gathering centuries. While opener Ben Duckett slammed a century in as many balls on his home ground, a struggling Zak Crawley got some runs under his belt with relatively slower 124 off 171 balls. But it was England’s No. 3 Pope who set the headlines after his senior batting partner Joe Root nudged past 13,000 Test runs. Story continues below this ad Pope’s record century sta(r)t Pope waltzed to his eighth Test century in 109 balls and set multiple records as he crossed the three-figure mark. Despite his middling Test average, Pope recorded his seventh hundred at No.3, putting him level with Jonathan Trott among English batters in the spot. Only …

“Credit To Harry Brook, Joe Root For Putting A Mammoth Score On The Board”: Ollie Pope Praises Team Effort In England’s Victory Over Pakistan

“Credit To Harry Brook, Joe Root For Putting A Mammoth Score On The Board”: Ollie Pope Praises Team Effort In England’s Victory Over Pakistan

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England captain Ollie Pope commended his team’s comprehensive performance after their innings and 47-run victory over Pakistan in Multan. Highlighting the contributions from both the bowlers and batters, Pope reflected on the crucial factors that led to the win. “Credit to the bowlers for the way they went about their stuff on Day 1 and the majority of Day 2. The fitness they showed, and the same with Brook and Root. The way to win this game was to put a mammoth score on the board. It wasn’t just a hundred, but it was 260 and 315 or whatever. Credit to them, obviously the skills they have and the determination to put the team in a winning position. It was awesome,” Pope said in the post-match presentation. The England skipper acknowledged the strategic importance of their first innings score and how it positioned them advantageously. “When you bat first and make 550, you think you’re in the driving seat there. But when you come out to bat again, and you’re 260 behind, and …

“The Way to Win” Ollie Pope on Victory in 1st Pakistan Tests

“The Way to Win” Ollie Pope on Victory in 1st Pakistan Tests

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Ollie Pope has opened on the side’s victory in the first test of England’s tour of Pakistan 2024 where they won by 47 runs and an innings. Despite Ben Stokes missing the first test, England was able to pull off a stunning victory with Joe Root’s double century and Harry Brook’s triple centuries. Pakistan lost all 20 wickets in the first test on day 05 of the match while England bowlers took 20 wickets for 756 runs across 203.5 overs. Pakistan’s bowling attack which comprised star pacer Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Aamir Jamal and Abrar Ahmed could dismiss only seven England batters for a mammoth total of 823 runs. Magic in Multan! 🙌 A famous, famous win! 🦁 Match Centre: https://t.co/M5mJLlHALN 🇵🇰 #PAKvENG 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #EnglandCricket pic.twitter.com/lKM6NWzH2A — England Cricket (@englandcricket) October 11, 2024 While speaking in the post-match conference, Ollie Pope said, “Credit to the bowlers for the way they went about their stuff on Day 1 and majority of Day 2. The fitness they showed, and the same as Brook and Root. “The …

“He Came Back” Ben Duckett Hails Ollie Pope After Day 01 3rd Test Against Sri Lanka

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Opening batter Ben Duckett has praised Ollie Pope for overcoming all the critics by a century on Day 01 of the third test of the Sri Lanka tour of England 2024. Ollie Pope was handling a lot of pressure as the side entered the final test of the series against Sri Lanka as he didn’t score much in the first two test matches. However, the 26-year-old smashed a ton and set a world record in test history to score seven centuries against seven different countries. While speaking after Day 01 of the Final test, Ben Duckett said, “Everyone’s so happy for anyone’s success in this dressing room. It is an incredible place to be. There shouldn’t be but there has been lots of noise. He has had a better summer than I have and to block that out and score an incredible 100 was so good, you could see that from his emotions.” Ollie Pope joined hands with Duckett and forged a 95-run partnership helping the side to reach 221 runs in 44.1 overs on the …