Pope backs Root to score a ‘monster’ hundred, reflects on pitch conditions at Lord’s

LONDON: England batter Ollie Pope believes that his teammate Joe Root will be focused on converting his unbeaten 99 into a “monster” score when play resumes at Lord’s on Friday. Root was left one short of his 37th Test hundred at stumps on Day one of the ongoing Test match, after anchoring England’s innings on a challenging surface.

Speaking at the post-day press conference, Pope said Root may not lose too much sleep over being stranded on 99, but there’s no doubt he’ll come back with intent.

“I don’t think he’s the best sleeper anyway, to be honest,” Pope said.

“I think obviously he would have loved to walk off 100. However, I think the bloke’s got 36 of them now. So I don’t think he’ll be too sleepless because of that. I think his plans tomorrow will be definitely try and make it a monster, a monster innings. So yeah, he’ll get his head down, I’m sure but yeah, it would be nice to see him get it, but yeah, he’ll be looking at the bigger picture and trying to make it a monster,” he added.

The pitch at Lord’s has been under the spotlight, particularly after England skipper Ben Stokes described it last week as subcontinental. Pope admitted he found the surface hard to read as well.

“Yeah, I don’t really know what I made of it to be honest,” Pope said.

“Look, I think it was pretty clear what we do want in a pitch and I guess that is just some pace and carry to really bring our sort of swing bowlers into it. And that’s been made pretty public and I think somewhere Lord’s is, yeah, we’re trying to sort of work out exactly what it was like. So yeah, we’ll see

I guess as the game goes on and if it deteriorates at all and does become that kind of slightly more subcontinent style pitch, whether that happens or not, I’m not sure, but yeah, well, I guess it’ll be pretty obvious after the next three or four days how it goes,” he noted.

Pope, who made a composed 44 before being caught behind off Ravindra Jadeja, which was tough to judge, especially on a pitch that is showing some glimpses of turn.

When asked about England’s decision to bat first, a departure from their recent preference for chasing targets, Pope pointed to the unusually warm English weather as a key factor.

“I think we’re probably, I guess, we’re not used to this 28-degree sun in England and that changes how wicket plays. Normally, English pitches are probably at their best on days two, three, four, five, and they hold together pretty nicely,” he explained.

“I guess we’re not as used to having just five days of sun. So that’s probably, so yeah, we’ll see as it goes on, how quickly it does deteriorate. I’m sure this pitch will hold together fairly well and then fingers crossed when it comes for our last time to bowl, whenever it is, then hopefully it plays a few tricks, but that’s a long way away for now. So yeah, I think with the sun on it for a few days, it might just sort of maybe get a bit slower and lower, but yeah, we’ll see. I’m no pitchman,” he noted.

At the end of the day’s play following the third session, England was 251/4, with Joe Root (99*) and skipper Ben Stokes (39*) unbeaten. After a balanced first session, which saw Nitish Kumar Reddy strike twice, England largely dominated the next two with more traditional Test cricket as compared to their attacking ‘Bazball’ cricket, despite strikes from Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah.England started the final session at 153/2, with Root (54*) and Ollie Pope (44*) unbeaten.

Ravindra Jadeja finally broke the 109-run stand, striking on the very first ball of the session with wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel taking a sharp catch. Pope was back in the hut for 44 in 104 balls, with four boundaries. England was 153/3 in 49.1 overs.

The newly-crowned number one Test batter Harry Brook was next up on the crease, starting positively with fours against Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah. However, in a battle of number ones, Bumrah’s nip-backer went right through Brook’s stumps, removing him for 11 in 20 balls. England was 172/4 in 54.5 overs.

A single off Mohammed Siraj’s delivery by skipper Ben Stokes brought England’s 200-run mark in 64 overs.

Stokes and Root played it safe, resorting to more traditional Test cricket, reaching their 50-run mark in 100 balls.

The duo made sure that England did not lose any more wickets, ending the session on a positive note, with Root left stranded on 99*.

England won the toss, opted to bat first. The series is levelled 1-1. (ANI)