Daily Mirror

GLEE 20 Fearless Ollie is thrust into England’s batting at No.4.. but the kid says he’s ready for battle

- BY DEAN WILSON Cricket Correspond­ent @CricketMir­ror

OLLIE POPE says he will be using his “naivety and fearlessne­ss” when he takes on the best Test team in the world at Lord’s this week.

And the 20-year-old reckons he might even take a leaf out of one of India’s batting legends when he tries to get one over on their bowlers during his debut.

Sachin Tendulkar was even younger, aged just 16, when he began his stellar Test career.

And the little maestro had words of encouragem­ent for the latest youthful batter to make the step up, saying “age is not the criteria”.

Pope is in no doubt that he has what it takes to do just that and make an impact, in the same way that his friend and fellow 20-yearold Sam Curran has done.

“It’s almost that naivety in the whole thing,” said a confident Pope at Lord’s. “I am probably similar to Sam, just ready to put the shirt on and want to perform at my best. We’ve both played a bit of county cricket now and things have gone on an upward spiral. “Hopefully, we can play and express ourselves the way we want to. I think it’s the fearlessne­ss. “Everyone always says that if you’re good enough, you’re old enough. It’s just knowing I’m not one of the first ones to play when I’m young or after not a huge amount of games.

“I feel confident and ready for the next step. Hopefully, I can take my chance.

“Hearing those stories is pretty inspiratio­nal – they make you realise what you can do. Looking back on people like Sachin Tendulkar, what was he, 16, 17? He’s quite a good person to listen to, in terms of that.”

Curran (right) impressed in the first Test, while Pope will be asked to bat at No.4, despite going in exclusivel­y at No.6 for Surrey.

It is a challenge he is more than ready to take on, thanks in part to his winter spent in Australia playing for Campbellto­wn, New South Wales, where the latest raw talent was fuelled by sushi.

And he made a positive impression on and off the field.

“There’s an MP, who has an affiliatio­n with the club, and he mentioned me in Parliament!” added Pope.

“Obviously, I did the right things at the club and they enjoyed having me there. I was surprised by it all.

“I was on my own a fair bit in an apartment on the outside of a house and had to stand on my own two feet a bit more.

“And, in terms of my cricket too, it was an invaluable experience.”

 ??  ?? IN THE GROOVE Chris Woakes & Moeen Ali turn their arm over in training at Lord’s
IN THE GROOVE Chris Woakes & Moeen Ali turn their arm over in training at Lord’s
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