Pope Reinforces Claim to England's Number Three Spot with Impressive 90 Versus Lions

It is difficult to determine how much of the English team's preparatory game will be remotely relevant when their Ashes battle kicks off a short distance away at Perth Stadium on the coming Friday – a short span in geography or duration but worlds away in import and atmosphere – but if it managed only strengthening Pope's assurance, that by itself has made the effort worthwhile.

The English side's number three batsman – that much is undoubtedly absolutely clear – followed his first-innings century by scoring an additional 90 in the follow-up innings, and the most notable was less about the number of scored runs but the way in which they were accumulated. Periodically the young batsman looked commanding, hitting a twelve boundaries and a couple of maximums, timing the ball beautifully but with fierce purpose.

This was just a practice match against a Lions team that used exactly 11 bowlers during a game played in amid a small group of onlookers in a open field, but it was nonetheless extremely noteworthy. To note, the England team, needing of 202 once the Lions closed their second innings on 251 for six, won by five wickets in hand when Smith raced the team over the finish line with a series of fours and sixes.

Crawley and Duckett, the two other significant first-innings' successes, both failed in the second innings, while Joe Root added further runs – 31 on this occasion – but was not significantly more convincing, before being confused and accordingly bowled by Will Jacks. Brook met an same outcome a little later.

Bashir – who finished the fixture having delivered 12 bowling spells for either team – will have found some of the hitting he faced rather challenging. His opening six overs versus the Lions went for 56, with Ben McKinney feasting to bowling that if not completely wayward was definitely not very dangerous.

At the end the sixth over of those overs, the English side's other pitchers had allowed roughly the equivalent number of points – 57 – from 15, though Bashir turned a somewhat less generous as time passed, allowing 27 from his remaining six. He took one wicket, holding a smart, diving grab, leaning to his right side, to conclude Bethell's knock for 70, from 80 deliveries.

Jacob Bethell, making up for managing just three in the first innings, was one of a trio of players with fifties in the Lions' leading batsmen. Ben McKinney's performances from opener were more consistent than those from their number three: he notched 66 in their initial knock and improved by two in their second, using 61 deliveries over his 50 runs, with five boundaries and two maximums, the pair against Bashir's's deliveries. Bethell reached 68 then a poor shot to Ben Stokes at cover position, who held a low grab at ankle height.

Jordan Cox showed comparable steadiness, and built on his first-innings 53 with another 57, at just over a scoring rate of one. He produced a few exceptionally elegant strokes en route, such as a drive down the ground and a pull against consecutive Brydon Carse balls to achieve his fifty.

Following his absence from the initial day of this match with a stomach issue and contributed only the least significant of contributions to the second day, Carse delivered brilliantly when at last provided the opportunity, with McKinney and Jordan Cox among his three wickets.

This report will update