Pope Respects England Vice-captaincy Decision

Ollie Pope said he respects England's determination to switch him pinch Harry Brook arsenic vice-captain for nan Ashes series.

Pope has been lawman for astir of Ben Stokes' 3 years arsenic Test skipper, stepping up to lead connected 5 occasions - including England's past Test against India successful July.

But nan Surrey batter was demoted erstwhile nan squad for nan circuit of Australia was named successful September.

Director of cricket Rob Key explained nan move by saying Brook, who became England's limited-overs skipper successful nan summer, is a "better leader".

Pope said: "If they deliberation that's nan correct point for nan squad going forward, and evidently Brooky captaining nan one-day worldly and nan T20 worldly arsenic well, that's perfectly good by maine and I respect nan determination they've made."

The 27-year-old was speaking aft making scores of 100 and 90 against England Lions successful England's only Ashes warm-up lucifer successful Perth.

It was Pope's first clip successful nan mediate since playing successful nan County Championship 2 months ago.

He had a mixed summertime for England, scoring hundreds successful his first 2 innings - against Zimbabwe and India - past passing 50 only erstwhile successful his adjacent eight.

Pope said he has "worked" connected "a mates of small method bits" of his game, without revealing nan afloat extent.

"Just smoothing retired a fewer areas," he said.

With statement focusing connected nan value and amount of England's Ashes warm-up fixtures, Pope was 1 of nan players who took afloat advantage of nan 3 days astatine Lilac Hill.

"I ever return a spot distant from warm-up games. Even if I miss out, there's ever thing to return from it," he said.

"I'm personification who likes clip successful nan mediate conscionable to get myself fresh for a series. I recovered it really beneficial."

Pope's runs against nan Lions and back-up batter Jacob Bethell's deficiency of shape until a second-innings 70 successful nan circuit lucifer has near nary uncertainty complete nan personality of England's number 3 for nan first Test against Australia astatine Optus Stadium connected Friday.

Bethell has been challenging for that spot since making his Test debut a twelvemonth ago, often leaving Pope's spot successful nan England squad arsenic a taxable of speculation.

"I've sewage truthful utilized to those conversations being had, and seeing them. I don't spell looking for them but it's beautiful difficult to debar sometimes," said Pope.

"I'm truthful utilized to seeing it I've conscionable learned to attraction connected my game. Fingers crossed to get nan motion for nan first Test, but each nan spot is successful those guys and I respect nan determination they make."

Pope is 1 of six players successful England's 16-man squad to person been connected nan past Ashes circuit 4 years ago.

On that juncture he was dropped aft nan first 2 Tests, only to return successful nan 5th arsenic England were hammered 4-0.

And he believes nan tussle pinch Bethell has made him a amended player, pointing to his important period successful nan first Test against India astatine Headingley erstwhile nan title betwixt nan 2 was astatine its tightest.

"It's been bully for maine that I've learnt that nether nan astir unit I've been capable to deliver, particularly successful that Headingley Test," said Pope.

"I cognize that I woody pinch that and get nan champion retired of myself astatine times. Everyone wants to beryllium nan first sanction connected nan squad sheet, but astatine nan aforesaid clip we're playing world sport.

"I've sewage to punctual myself of that astatine times, there's ever going to beryllium personification connected your bottommost if you haven't rather scored nan measurement of runs that you would person liked. I'm learning to unrecorded pinch it, and arsenic agelong arsenic I'm a amended subordinate than I was successful each bid I play, that's nan champion I tin do."