Same method, more precision: Pope ready to again roll the dice

Like the rest of us, Ollie Pope knew the dangers associated with driving on the up in Perth. Especially on a fifth stump line, well out from under his eyes. It was why he cursed himself after his dismissal in England's fateful second-innings collapse.

But under maverick Kiwi Brendon McCullum, these England players are gamblers. And so on a sweltering Brisbane afternoon, surrounded on the Gabba outer by the Anglo-Australian cricket media, Pope spoke in such terms.

"It was my first Test match there, and I was pretty clear that I knew that was the risk on that pitch," he said. "But they're lessons to take forward, and it might be similar conditions here in terms of driving on the up.

"I don't want to just let the bowler bowl at me, but it's just trying to play the percentage as much as I can."

In that first Test, Pope managed that better than his batting colleagues, emerging from the two-day defeat with more runs than any of them and with it, a measure of confidence.

Which was perhaps sorely needed. His 79 runs in this series already outdoes his tally of 67 at 11.16 from three Ashes Tests in Australia four years ago, and scores of 46 and 33 represented a couple of solid starts.

"I was pretty annoyed with both my dismissals in that game … but at the same time, I was happy with how I was playing up until the moment I got out," he said. "So for me, it's just taking that forward. If I can start my innings like that as much as I can while I'm out here, hopefully some big runs will flow."

A gambling man might be encouraged by the fact Pope's returns in Australia have begun trending upwards. Yet there's more to consider. An overall average of 19.66 against the Aussies, for one. The move to a day-night Test could also ring alarm bells for the Englishman; four years ago in Australia, he played two Tests against the pink ball during his maiden Ashes series, and managed just 28 runs at seven.

In those four innings, he was dismissed by four different bowlers, at least three of whom – Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc (and Pat Cummins was the other) – look set to play in this second Ashes Test. In Perth, it was Boland who again found his edge, while Cameron Green had him trapped lbw in the first innings.

Pope, like McCullum, insisted the method was right; he just needs to tighten things up, execute better.

"It's trying to learn the lessons, and take some positives," he said. "It's being really precise with how you go about it. (Australia's pace bowlers) can hang it out wide, but then as soon as they do miss their lengths, it's trying to put them under pressure.

"I look back on that (second) innings (in Perth) and the dismissal, (and) it's just being that bit more precise; going about it in the same way, but having that little bit more (precision) in my in my game."

Under the McCullum rein, Pope has struck quite the successful balance with his percentage plays and his risk taking. He has more hundreds (eight) in one fewer inning at number three than Joe Root managed (five). His average (41.53) and strike-rate (72.58) in that position underlines the fact he has thoroughly evolved from the 23-year-old who had such a hard time of it in Australia in 2021-22. 

Yet questions were being asked about his place in the side even after England touched down in Australia last month. He put them to bed – perhaps only temporarily – by being the standout player in the visitors' lone tour match, then settled impressively into both innings in the series opener, batting for more than 90 minutes in each.

"I've worked on my technique before this series," he said. "And then I guess when you're out there, it's just trying to be as clear as you can. You don't want to be out there thinking about your technique; you want to be out there thinking: How can I get through this spell? Or: How can I put the bowler a bit under pressure?

"That's probably my main thing I learned from the last series. So if I can keep batting like I felt out there in the middle (in Perth), hopefully some good runs will come."

2025-26 NRMA Insurance Men's Ashes

First Test: Australia won by eight wickets

Second Test: December 4-8, The Gabba, Brisbane (D/N), 3pm AEDT

Third Test: December 17-21: Adelaide Oval, 10:30am AEDT

Fourth Test: December 26-30: MCG, Melbourne, 10:30am AEDT

Fifth Test: January 4-8: SCG, Sydney, 10:30am AEDT

Australia squad (second Test only): Steve Smith (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster

England squad: Ben Stokes (c), Harry Brook (vc), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue, Mark Wood