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England‘s Ollie Pope demonstrated his batting mastery by scoring hi🌃s sixth Test century on the Day 1 of the second Test match against the West Indies in Nottinghamshire.
After Alzarri Joseph dismissed Zak Crawley for a duck in the very first over, Pope stepped in to stabilize the innings. He formed a vital 105-run partnership with Ben Duckett, who scored a brisk 71 off 59 ballܫs before being dismissed.
Century milestone for Ollie Pope
At the lunch interval on day one, Pope was well-settled on 47 off 75 balls. He continued his composed batting after lunch, reaching his half-century in 81 balls. The West Indies team missed opportunities to dismiss him, dropping him twice, which allowed him to maintai🐻n his momentum🐻.
Pope’s milestone century came in the 46th over, bowled by Jayden Seales. A well-placed boundary to deep square leg brought up his sixth Test hundred, completed in 143 balls. His innings was a blend of patience and aggression, crucial in bolstering England’s position.
Also READ: Fans react as Engl🎐and star Ollie Pope hits a splendid century in the Trent Bridge Test against West Indies
Support from a ‘Lucky Charm’
Post-match, Pope revealed his delight in having Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale among the spectators at Trent Bridge. A dedicated Arsenal fan, Pope considers Ramsdale his “lucky charm.” Ramsdale, part of the England squad that finished runners-up at Euro 2024, was also present when Pope scored a double century against Ireland at Lord’s.
“I’m obviously a big Arsenal fan, so I go and support him a fair bit. He seems to be my lucky charm on the cricket pitch as well! He’s come to two other games and in one of them I scored 200. It always happens to be the day he’s there that I get the runs, so I think he can come more often,” Pope was quoted as saying by the Guardian.
England’s commanding total against the West Indies
England, after being put in to bat first, reached a commanding total of 416 all out on the opening day. Pope’s resilient 121 was the cornerstone of England’s innings, providing a strong platform for the hosts in the second Test against the West Indies at Trent Bridge. His innings, marked by grit and determination, ensured that England ended the day in a formidable position.
