Ollie Pope Reinforces Position to England Cricket's No 3 Slot with Impressive 90 Versus Lions

It is difficult to gauge how relevant of the English team's practice game will be remotely relevant when their Ashes series battle begins 10km away at the Perth venue on Friday – a short span in geography or duration but light years away in import and atmosphere – but if it achieved only strengthening Pope's self-belief, that on its own has rendered the exercise worthwhile.

England's number three batsman – this fact is certainly absolutely certain – built on his first-innings century by scoring an additional 90 in the second, and the truly notable was not merely the number of scored runs but the manner in which they were accumulated. At times the player appeared commanding, striking a twelve fours and a couple of maximums, connecting with the ball sweetly but with devilish purpose.

It was only a exhibition game versus a England Lions squad that deployed exactly 11 bowlers during a match played in before a handful of spectators in a local ground, but it was nevertheless very praiseworthy. Officially, the England team, set a target of 202 once the Lions ended their follow-on innings on 251 for six, succeeded by five wickets when Jamie Smith hurried the team over the conclusion with a series of fours and sixes.

Crawley and Ben Duckett, the other two big first-innings achievers, both were dismissed in the follow-up, while Joe Root scored further points – 31 on this instance – but was not enormously more convincing, before being confused and subsequently dismissed by Will Jacks. Brook experienced an similar outcome shortly after.

Bashir – who concluded the match having delivered 12 bowling spells for each side – will have encountered a portion of the hitting he confronted rather aggressive. His initial six overs against the Lions cost 56, with Ben McKinney taking advantage to deliveries that if not completely poor was definitely not overly threatening.

After the sixth over of those overs, England's remaining three bowlers had allowed nearly exactly the equivalent number of points – 57 – from 15, though the bowler grew a somewhat less generous in time, allowing 27 from his final six. He secured a single wicket, holding a smart, low catch, falling to his right side, to end Bethell's knock for 70, facing 80 deliveries.

Jacob Bethell, making up for scoring merely a small score in the initial innings, was among a trio of fifty-scorers in the Lions' leading batsmen. McKinney's returns from opener were more reliable than those of their No 3: he made 66 in their first batting effort and went two better in their follow-up, using 61 balls over his half-century, with five boundaries and two six-hit shots, the pair from Bashir's bowling. Bethell got to 68 before a mis-hit to Ben Stokes at cover position, who held a bending grab at low down.

Jordan Cox showed similar steadiness, and built on his initial innings' 53 with an additional 57, at just over a run a ball. There were several exceptionally beautiful shots on the way, featuring a drive down the ground and a hook from successive Carse balls to achieve his 50 runs.

Following his absence from the first day of this fixture with a stomach issue and provided only the least significant of contributions to the second day, Brydon Carse pitched brilliantly when at last afforded the chance, with McKinney and Jordan Cox part of his three scalps.

This report will update