Ben Duckett thrilled as Ollie Pope silences questions about his England place
Pope was at the centre of an outstanding day of ultra-competitive Test cricket against India, finishing with exactly 100 not out as England fought their corner under pressure in this Rothesay Series opener.
He walked out to bat on the second afternoon with everything stacked against him – India boasting 471 first-innings runs and the peerless Jasprit Bumrah having just made short work of Zak Crawley with the new ball.
That 💯 moment…
Take a bow. Oliver John Douglas Pope 🫡
🤝 @IGcom pic.twitter.com/ITqFhG13ho
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 21, 2025
With grey clouds overhead and floodlights needed to improve visibility in the middle, it was a deeply unappetising situation for a player who came into the game with his place under scrutiny.
A few hours later, having guided his side to 209 for three, the mere suggestion that he might be replaced any time soon felt fanciful in the extreme.
'It was goosebumps when he got his hundred, you could see what it meant to him,' said Duckett, who shared a stand of 122 with the vice-captain.
'He probably couldn't walk out in tougher conditions, Jasprit running down the hill with the lights on.
'There's no better feeling than that, scoring 100 against that attack after coming out at four for one. You can see that in the way he celebrated but it didn't just mean a lot to him, it meant a huge amount in the dressing room as well.'
Much had been made of a theoretical head-to-head between Pope and rising star Jacob Bethell, a notion captain Ben Stokes swatted away on the eve of the match as he threw his full support behind the incumbent.
The selection debate has been too loud to avoid but the Surrey man may well have settled it in the most public way possible, bat in hand in front of a sellout Saturday crowd in Yorkshire.
'We're very good at keeping things in the dressing room but obviously you can hear the noise from outside,' admitted Duckett.
'We're not having discussions in the dressing room about who's going to play. But the way Popey has dealt with that has been superb. It sums up and proves why he's England's number three and is doing what he's doing.'
Duckett had a front row seat as Bumrah threw everything he had at England. The unpredictable paceman finished with three for 48 from 13 electric overs but could easily have doubled his haul given the number of edges, chances and near misses he generated.
Ben Duckett played his part (Danny Lawson/PA)
The last of those saw him have Harry Brook caught for a duck only to be called for a no-ball, a late gut punch, but he will surely be back for more.
'He's the best bowler in the world,' said Duckett, who was eventually bowled for 62.
'He's good in India on the flattest pitches ever and, when he's coming down the hill with the lights on, swinging both ways, it's tough.
'I feel we minimised the damage early on, it could have been a lot worse today so we're pretty happy with the position we're in.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
33 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Lioness captain Leah Williamson warms up for the Euros by jetting off on sunshine break to Majorca with former Miss USA
She will be leading the Lionesses at the Euros in three weeks but Leah Williamson has made the most of her summer by jetting off to Majorca with close friend, and former Miss USA, Elle Smith. The two women beamed as they soaked up the sun, went paddle boarding and dined out at high-end restaurants after growing close in recent months. Ms Williamson and Ms Smith have been sharing photographs of one another – including one where they celebrated the England star's Champions League win with Arsenal three weeks ago. Since then, Ms Smith, 26, has also posted on her TikTok, showing them doing various challenges and showing off their holiday outfits. Ms Williamson also posted snaps from their trip in which her pal commented: 'Same time next year?' to which Ms Williamson replied: 'Yes.' Although it's unclear how they were introduced, they seem to have known each other for some months as Ms Smith posted a video of Ms Williamson's 28th birthday on March 29 saying 'Happy Birthday my love x'. It showed them floating on a platform in the sea on another holiday. Ms Smith is based in New York City and London and is signed to the Wilhelmina Models agency. With over seven million views on TikTok and 122,000 followers on Instagram, she has worked with brands including Kim Kardashian's Skims, Adidas and Sol De Janeiro. Elle Smith struts down the catwalk during the Adore Me fashion show at New York Fashion Week last year Williamson. pictured in action here for England against Portugal in May 2025, played a major part in England's Euro 2022 success but was devastated when she ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament during a match in April 2023 She studied journalism at the University of Kentucky College and in 2021 was crowned Miss USA, going on to represent the US at Miss Universe 2021, where she was placed in the top ten. Ms Williamson played a major part in England's Euro 2022 success but was devastated when she ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament during a match in April 2023. It ruled her out of the World Cup that summer where the Lionesses reached the final, only to lose to Spain. But she is back to lead the team when it plays its first game in the tournament against France in Switzerland on July 5.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Prince Harry 'will extend olive branch to King Charles and Prince William by inviting them to the next Invictus Games' - but finale is set to clash with Queen's 80th birthday
The Duke of Sussex is to extend an olive branch to the Royal Family by inviting them to the 2027 Invictus Games, the Mail on Sunday can reveal. In the strongest indication yet that Prince Harry is keen for a reconciliation with the King and other senior Royals, it is understood that an emailed invitation will be sent out later this month, followed by a formal invitation. Sources said the timing of the invitation was designed to give the family the best possible chance of attending, given that Charles is known to draw up his schedule up to three years in advance. But the extraordinary move, which could see Harry pictured with the Royal Family for the first time since the late Queen's funeral, has raised eyebrows among some commentators. Ingrid Seward said: 'The King might attend to show support for the Armed Forces and congratulate Harry on the most significant success in his life. 'The only reason the King is wary of associating with his son is that he no longer trusts him not to repeat their private conversations as he has done in the past. This goes for all the working members of the family.' Fellow royal commentator Katie Nicholl added: 'The King absolutely wants a relationship with his youngest son and with his grandchildren. He has an incredible capacity for forgiveness and he wants to be magnanimous in all of this and therefore there's certainly a possibility that the King might consider attending Invictus.' Despite the Royals' previously strong support for Invictus, the invitation – should anyone choose to accept it – is likely to cause some headaches for Royal aides as it involves a major scheduling conflict. The Games are set to open at Birmingham's NEC on July 12, 2027, and will conclude on July 17 – the day Queen Camilla turns 80 – for which there are likely to already be some celebrations planned. It also remains to be seen whether the Duke would risk bringing Meghan and their children Archie, six, and four-year-old Lilibet, to the UK for the event, having previously insisted he could not do so unless the family were offered 'full police protection'. 'Harry has agreed that Invictus should extend an invitation to his family,' a source told The Mail on Sunday. 'Invictus hopes the Royal Family will come along to support the wounded veterans taking part. Harry is hopeful his father will set aside their differences to attend the Invictus Games and support veterans. 'The Royals have always been hugely supportive of Invictus and proud of what Harry has achieved in that arena. This is one olive branch from him which might be reciprocated.' Harry, 40, made it clear in a BBC interview last month that he would welcome a rapprochement with his father and with the wider family, despite acknowledging the hurt caused by his brutally honest memoir, Spare. 'There's no point in continuing to fight any more,' he said. 'Life is precious.' And he added: 'Forgiveness is 100 per cent a possibility because I would like to get my father and brother back.' The Invictus invitations are thought to represent the first time Harry has publicly reached out in a bid to gather his family together. The invitees and the wording of the invitations are said to have been approved by Harry, with the emails being sent to private secretaries at the Palace. The Games are expected to bring significant economic and social benefit to Birmingham. A spokesman for Invictus said: 'No formal invitations have been issued as preparations are in the early stages.'
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
HUGE football star and manager 'to star on the upcoming season of Strictly Come Dancing'
Football icon Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is reportedly set to appear on the upcoming season of Strictly Come Dancing. The former Chelsea and Netherlands striker and ex-England coach, 53, is believed to have signed up to the BBC flagship show, according to The Sun. A source told the publication: 'Jimmy has a huge fanbase from his years playing in the Premier League and is a very likeable character. 'Show producers are always keen to book a retired footballer as it gets footie fans tuning into the series and becoming unlikely fans of the show. 'Jimmy has a competitive edge and is going to get his head in the game.' The father-of-four was a professional player with Leeds and Middlebrough for two decades before he retied in 2008. MailOnline has contacted representatives for Strictly Come Dancing for comment. The rumour comes weeks after Strictly bosses announced the professional lineup for this year's show and revealed there will be two brand new dancers joining. Dianne Buswell, who lifted the glitter ball in December with Chris McCausland, will be joining Nadiya Bychkova, Karen Hauer, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk and Jowita Przystal in returning to the dance floor this September. They will be joined by Johannes Radebe, Aljaž Škorjanec, Nancy Xu, Lauren Oakley, Michelle Tsiakkas and Vito Coppola who will all take to the floor once more alongside two new stars, who will be announced closer to the time. Amy Dowden, who pulled out in the opening weeks of last year's show due to a foot injury, will also be back on Strictly for 2025, as will Carlos Gu and Kai Widdrington, who didn't have a celebrity partner last year. Despite rumours that he might be making a return after missing out on last year's series, Giovanni Pernice will not be heading back to the ballroom this time around. Sarah James, Executive Producer, BBC Studios said : 'The excitement is already building ahead of the new series and in addition to welcoming back our fantastic returning Pros, we are looking forward to welcoming two brand new Professional Dancers to the line up who will help bring another unforgettable series of dazzling dance and loads more besides to viewers later in 2025.' As well as the pros taking part in the competition itself, all of them will be taking to the floor each week in group routines. The rumour comes weeks after Strictly bosses announced the professional lineup for this year's show and revealed there will be two brand new dancers joining MailOnline previously revealed that Strictly Come Dancing professional Karen will return to the BBC show this year. It was rumoured that the programme's longest-serving dancer was axed by bosses, sparking an 'ageism' row among the cast but it has been confirmed that the star, 42, will be back as normal when the series returns in September. Karen, who joined the lineup in 2012, is yet to win the glitter ball trophy but has reached several finals including with celebrity partners Made In Chelsea 's Jamie Laing and former TOWIE star Mark Wright. Last year, Karen was partnered with former footballer Paul Merson, 57, but the pair were eliminated in week five and the previous season the dancer performed with DJ Eddie Kadi. The Venezuelan, who was previously married to ex-pro Kevin Clifton, returns to the show alongside the likes of Strictly favourites Gorka Marquez, Johannes Radebe, and Jowita Przystal, who reached the semifinal stages last year with Pete Wicks. In November, it was reported that Karen was at 'risk' of losing her place on the show because of her age when dancers like Dianne Buswell, 35, and Michelle Tsiakkas, 29, are younger participants. Meanwhile, Carlos Gu (pictured, left) and Kai Widdrington (right) will be returning after not appearing in the 2024 edition Johannes Radebe (pictured, left) is back for the 2025 edition after receiving a huge spike in popularity, leading to a busy diary and will join Aljaž Škorjanec (right) Katya Jones (pictured, left) will be joining Jowita Pryzstal (right) on the much-awaited return of Strictly this September A TV source told MailOnline: 'Karen is a well loved and respected member of the Strictly cast and there's no way she would be axed, especially not because of her age. 'She has dedicated years to the programme and can't wait to get back in the training room with a new partner in the next coming months.' Following speculation surrounding whether she would axed from the long running series due to being in her 40s, Karen spoke about not being 'threatened' by younger competitors. Indeed, she said performing alongside new joiners makes her feel empowered and she is 'inspired' by the younger generation. In February, she said: 'Of course, Strictly brings in younger female dancers. I'm the longest serving on the show, but new dancers don't threaten me - I watch them and I learn from them. 'They inspire me and build my confidence. I've become the person for them that I didn't have when I joined the show. I'm always there to help because there is a big spotlight on you on Strictly.' As well as competing on the show with celebrity contestants Jeremy Vine, Simon Rimmer, Greg Wise and Chris Ramsey, Karen also danced with comedian Jayde Adams, which was her first female partnership. On competing with a female for the first time in 2022, Karen said: 'I've danced with a lot of male dancers, but it's finding what works for them. This is more natural. Luba Mushtuk (pictured, left) was partnered with Nick Knowles in 2024 while Nancy Xu (right) danced with singer Shayne Ward last year Lauren Oakley (pictured, left) stepped in for Amy as JB Gill's partner and Michelle Tsiakkas (right) was with Jamie Borthwick last time 'It is female empowerment for me to be dancing with Jayde. I feel the most comfortable because there is that friendship. 'We are girls and we talk about everything. We cry together, we laugh together. We share so many things. 'When it comes to the dancing we are able to put that emotion into it.' It was alleged last year that a Strictly 'cull' of the professional dancers would see a change in the lineup, with Gorka rumoured not to be coming back for the upcoming season. Throughout his time on the show Gorka has been partnered with the likes of EastEnders actress Tameka Empson, Coronation Street star Katie McGlynn, and radio host Nikita Kanda. In 2024, he competed with Morning Live doctor Punam Krishan and the pair impressed the judging panel with their Couples' Choice performance where they danced a Bollywood routine. His partner Gemma Atkinson starred on Strictly in 2017, which is how the couple first met, and the fitness model reached the final, narrowly missing out to Joe McFadden and his partner Katya for the glitter ball trophy. It was alleged last year that a Strictly 'cull' of the professional dancers would see a change in the lineup, with Gorka Marquez rumoured not to be coming back for the upcoming season The World Latin Champion, who started dancing at the age of 12, landed a new role earlier this year on the judging panel for the Spanish version of Strictly. He's also been up and down the country performing with fellow pro dancer Karen on their Speakeasy tour. Gemma has admitted the time she finds most difficult as a mother is when Gorka is rehearsing for Strictly, saying his intense work schedule means he often isn't at their family home in Manchester. She said: 'He's never here. It's Strictly from July to December. If they get a partner, they're based where their partner is in the week. Obviously London at the weekend.' In recent years, the Strictly pro lineup has seen Italian dancers Graziano Di Prima and Giovanni be axed following complaints about their conduct in the training room. Giovanni faced bullying accusations from former celebrity partner Amanda Abbington while Graziano 'kicked' ex-Love Island star Zara McDermott during rehearsals. There were also reports of a 'mass cull' with producers keen to revamp the Strictly pro cast.
