Ollie Pope Cements Status to England Cricket's Number Three Spot with Bold 90 Versus Lions

It is tough to determine how relevant of the English team's practice fixture will end up being relevant when their Ashes series campaign begins a short distance away at Perth Stadium on Friday – no distance in geography or duration but worlds away in import and mood – but if it accomplished nothing more than enhancing Ollie Pope's assurance, that by itself has rendered the effort worthwhile.

England's number three batsman – that point is certainly completely clear – built on his first-innings ton by adding an additional 90 in the second innings, and what was impressive was not so much the quantity of runs but the style in which they were made. Periodically the 27-year-old looked imperious, smashing a twelve boundaries and a two of maximums, timing the ball beautifully but with aggressive intent.

This was just a friendly versus a Lions squad that used a total of 11 pitchers throughout a game staged in before a handful of spectators in a open field, but it was nonetheless very impressive. To note, the England team, set a target of 202 following the Lions declared their follow-on innings on 251 for six, triumphed by a margin of five wickets when Jamie Smith raced the team over the finish line with a flurry of boundaries.

Zak Crawley and Duckett, the other two significant first-innings' achievers, both fell short in the follow-up, while Root added additional runs – 31 on this instance – but was far from more convincing, before being confused and accordingly dismissed by Jacks. Harry Brook met an similar end a little later.

Shoaib Bashir – who finished the match having delivered 12 bowling spells for either team – will have encountered part of the strokes he faced rather aggressive. His opening six overs versus the Lions went for 56, with McKinney feasting to bowling that if not entirely loose was definitely far from dangerous.

By the conclusion the sixth of those deliveries, the English side's other bowlers had allowed roughly the same total of points – 57 – from 15, though the bowler became a slightly less giving later on, allowing 27 from his last six. He took a single wicket, taking a clever, low snare, diving to his right side, to end Bethell's batting stint for 70, off 80 deliveries.

Jacob Bethell, redeeming scoring merely a small score in the opening knock, was among three players players with fifties in the Lions' top order. McKinney's performances from opening batsman were steadier than those from their number three: he scored 66 in their first batting effort and scored 68 in their follow-up, taking 61 deliveries over his half-century, with five boundaries and two six-hit shots, each off Bashir's bowling. Bethell reached 68 before a poor shot to Ben Stokes at cover, who held a low catch at low down.

Jordan Cox displayed comparable consistency, and built on his first-innings 53 with another 57, at about a run a ball. There were a few outstandingly elegant strokes during his innings, including a drive down the ground and a pull from successive Carse balls to achieve his 50 runs.

After missing the opening day of this match with a illness and contributed only the most minor of efforts to the follow-up, Carse delivered brilliantly when finally provided the shot, with McKinney and Jordan Cox included in his three wickets.

This report will update