Pope Makes Warm-up Ton But Root And Brook Miss Out

Tour match, Lila Hill, Perth (day 2 of three)

England Lions 375: Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Stokes 6-52

England 392: Pope 100, Duckett 92, Stokes 84, Crawley 82; Potts 3-66

Scorecard (external site), external

Ollie Pope made a period arsenic nan mostly of England's apical bid spent valuable clip successful nan mediate successful their Ashes warm-up game, though Joe Root and Harry Brook missed retired successful what mightiness beryllium their last innings earlier nan first Test.

Ben Duckett made 92 and Zak Crawley 82 successful an opening guidelines of 182, while Pope and skipper Ben Stokes shared 137 for nan 5th wicket connected nan 2nd time of 3 successful Perth.

In betwixt nan 2 sizable partnerships, England mislaid 4 wickets for 16 runs – some Root and Brook retired successful soft fashion.

Much talk successful nan Australian media has centred connected Root's deficiency of a Test period successful this state and his preparations were curtailed erstwhile he hooked Matthew Potts to mid-wicket for one.

Brook's innings was awful, showing disdain for this benignant of exercise. In his first 15 deliveries, Brook doubly danced down to nan seamers and attempted a T20-style scoop. From his 16th, Brook again precocious astatine paceman Nathan Gilchrist and ended extracurricular limb stump arsenic nan shot deed off. He was retired for two.

Pope took his chance pinch a measured 100, securing his spot successful nan squad for nan first Test against Australia connected 21 November.

Stokes was likewise diligent for his 84, gradually uncovering a hit to his batting aft almost 4 months retired pinch a enarthrosis injury.

The action became progressively relaxed precocious successful nan time and England utilized 12 batters – Brydon Carse nan other man aft missing nan first time done illness.

England were bowled retired for 426 successful consequence to nan Lions' 375 - a full corrected by nan scorers from nan original 382 posted connected time one.

Mark Wood was astatine Lilac Hill pinch nan near hamstring that suffered tightness connected nan opening time heavy strapped. England are awaiting nan results of a scan that took spot connected Friday afternoon.

Lilac Hill has a placid surface, acold removed from what England tin expect to look astatine Optus Stadium adjacent week.

The worth of these preparations will only beryllium revealed successful time, but clip successful nan mediate is ne'er a bad point and Pope led nan database of England batters who grasped nan opportunity.

Duckett should person been caught astatine first gaffe by Ben McKinney connected six disconnected nan awesome Potts. Reprieved, Duckett and opening partner Crawley rattled on astatine much than six runs an complete successful nan greeting session.

Following nan slump astatine nan opening of nan day session, Pope and Stokes respected nan chance for lucifer practice.

Any proposal Pope whitethorn person been nether unit from Jacob Bethell was ended by Bethell making only 2 for nan Lions connected Thursday. A disapproval of Pope is that he is often excessively skittish successful Test cricket, but this innings was a calm 1 – albeit successful gentle surroundings.

Stokes has regularly skipped warm-up matches successful nan past, though he needed this run-out pursuing his spell connected nan sidelines. He was watchful for his half-century, taking 92 deliveries to scope 50, past opened his shoulders to clobber 34 disconnected his adjacent 19 earlier being dismissed by Shoaib Bashir.

One different affirmative for England was nan capacity of Potts, who is successful nan Ashes squad contempt playing this crippled for nan Lions.

Realistically, Potts is bottommost of nan pecking bid successful England's six Ashes seamers, though his chances of playing a Test person accrued pinch nan uncertainty complete Wood.

He was comfortably nan champion of nan seamers connected show and bowled amended than figures of 3-66 suggest.

England will vessel again connected Saturday and whitethorn now wonderment astir nan chance of Root to bat erstwhile more.

Pivotal to England's Ashes hopes and nether scrutiny because of his grounds successful Australia, Root did not walk 25 successful nan 3 one-day internationals successful New Zealand. His dismissal was uncharacteristic, perchance fuelled by nan slow pitch. Root had faced only 12 balls erstwhile he fetched a hook astatine Potts to Lions skipper Tom Haines.

If Brook, now England's vice-captain, bats for illustration he did connected Friday location would beryllium small constituent successful him having different sound connected Saturday. It was not nan "balls to nan wall" strength Stokes promised from his squad earlier this lucifer began.

Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith was different to miss retired connected batting time, pushing a return drawback backmost to Gilchrist for six.

A further interest was nan bowling of Ashes spinners Bashir and Will Jacks. Both men are successful nan Lions arsenic England look to beryllium favouring an all-pace onslaught for nan first Test.

Doubts complete Wood could consequence successful a re-think, but neither Bashir nor Jacks enhanced their claim. Bashir went astatine almost a tally a shot successful his 12 overs, while Jacks is emotion his measurement backmost from a surgery digit and returned 1-61 from his 10 overs.