Ollie Pope Cements Position to England Cricket's No 3 Role with Bold 90 Versus Lions

It's tough to know how relevant of England's practice match will prove relevant when their Ashes series contest begins 10km away at Perth Stadium on Friday – a brief gap in geography or duration but ages away in significance and atmosphere – but if it managed nothing more than strengthening Pope's self-belief, that by itself has made the effort worthwhile.

The English side's No 3 – that much is certainly totally established – built on his first-innings ton by adding an additional 90 in the second, and the most notable was less about the total of scored runs but the manner in which they were scored. On occasion the 27-year-old appeared commanding, striking a dozen boundaries and a two of sixes, hitting the ball sweetly but with aggressive intent.

It was just a practice match against a England Lions team that employed a total of 11 bowlers across a game staged in front of a small group of spectators in a public park, but it was nevertheless very impressive. To note, the England team, needing of 202 once the Lions ended their second innings on 251 for six, won by five wickets when Jamie Smith hurried the team across the finish line with a stream of fours and sixes.

Zak Crawley and Duckett, the other two significant first-innings achievers, both failed in the follow-up, while Joe Root added several more points – 31 on this time – but was far from more dominant, before being confused and subsequently dismissed by Jacks. Brook suffered an similar end a little later.

Bashir – who concluded the fixture having delivered 12 bowling spells for each side – will have found some of the hitting he confronted quite challenging. His first six overs versus the Lions went for 56, with Ben McKinney feasting to bowling that if not exactly loose was surely not very intimidating.

After the sixth spell of that period, the English side's three other bowlers had conceded roughly the same number of runs – 57 – from 15, though the bowler turned a somewhat less leaky as time passed, allowing 27 from his final six. He claimed one dismissal, making a clever, low snare, diving to his right side, to finish Jacob Bethell's batting stint for 70, off 80 balls.

Jacob Bethell, compensating for managing merely three in the initial innings, was among a trio of half-centurions in the Lions team's top four. McKinney's scores from opening batsman were steadier than the scores of their No 3: he scored 66 in their first batting effort and improved by two in their second, facing 61 balls over his 50 runs, with five and two sixes, each from Bashir's deliveries. Jacob Bethell reached 68 prior to a poor shot to Ben Stokes at cover position, who took a low catch at shin level.

Cox showed like consistency, and built on his first-innings 53 with a further 57, at just over a scoring rate of one. He produced several outstandingly elegant hits during his innings, such as a straight hit and a pull shot against back-to-back Carse deliveries to reach his half century.

Having missed the opening day of this game with a stomach upset and provided only the most minor of contributions to the second, Carse pitched brilliantly when finally given the chance, with McKinney and Jordan Cox included in his three dismissals.

This report may be updated