‘There’s no escape, so it felt good to score a few’
Pope said he was relieved after his undefeated 91 helped England close the first day of the decisive third Test against West Indies well placed on 258 for four at Emirates Old Trafford.
“It’s a really nice feeling, because I’ve missed out on those first two games,” said Pope, who has added an unbroken 136 for the fifth wicket with Jos Buttler, who ended his 14-innings run without a Test halfcentury by making a crucial 56 not out.
“You walk back to your hotel after you’ve got out in the last two overs of the day, and you’re looking back over the cricket ground. There’s no escape from it – can’t have a coffee, can’t see your family. You can naturally think about your batting and your failures a bit more than normal. So, to get a few runs today was a nice feeling.”
Pope admitted that he had found the unique nature of this series – with players required to remain in the biosecure bubble, with rooms in the hotels at the ground, and not able to return home to see their families – difficult, especially after three failures in the first two Tests.
“You’re back in your room and you’re back looking over the cricket pitch,” he said. “I have found it a little bit challenging.
“The second innings at Hampshire, I got out late in the day, chopped on, and 20 minutes after getting out I was back in my room.
“Then it ends up playing in your mind over and over again. But the lads get around you and everyone’s tightly knit, so if anyone is mentally struggling a bit we’ve got each other’s backs.”
With rain forecast over the next few days, Pope said that England hoped to build an imposing firstinnings total which would allow them not to bat in the second innings as they aim to clinch the series 2-1.
“If we can bat big then the dream scenario would be to get them in
and make them follow on and go again,” he said.
Both England and the West Indies wore red caps in recognition of the Ruth Strauss Foundation, in honour of Sir Andrew Strauss’s wife who died in 2018, on day one of the third Test.
The foundation, which raises money to research rare cancers and support those who lose loved ones through cancer, raised more than £282,000 on the day, and is auctioning various items over the weekend.
Away from the Test, England released five players – Joe Denly,
Dan Lawrence, Craig Overton, Ollie Robinson and Olly Stone – from the biosecure bubble at Old Trafford.
The last four will return to their counties, while Denly will join England’s white-ball training group at the Ageas Bowl, ahead of the oneday international series against Ireland which begins on July 30.
The sides will meet in three ODIS, all at the Ageas Bowl.
Besides the XI playing in this Test, six players – James Bracey, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Ben Foakes, Jack Leach and Mark Wood – remain in the red-ball training group at Emirates Old Trafford.
These six are effectively in an extended 17-man group of potential Test players for England’s Test series against Pakistan, which begins on Aug 5.