All runs are special for England hit man Pope
OLLIE POPE celebrated the fastest Test double-century in England and insisted: ‘Test runs are very special, no matter who you’re playing.’ Pope reached the landmark from just 207 balls as England racked up 524 for four against Ireland at Lord’s — a venue where seven previous Test innings had brought him only one score above 28. ‘It was very special,’ he said. ‘It’s not somewhere I’ve done that well before, so it’s nice to get that one off my back. ‘There’s no denying that the Aussie attack is stronger than the Irish attack, but scoring Test runs is a habit.’ Pope admitted he didn’t train ‘smart enough’ ahead of the last Ashes in Australia in 2021-22, when he averaged just 11. But his partnership of 252 with Ben Duckett reflected both players’ growth in stature and confidence going into this summer’s clash with the Aussies. Duckett, who made 182 in his first Test innings on home soil, said: ‘When you’re in you back garden as a kid, you dream of a moment like that. It’s been an incredible day. ‘For a few years, I didn’t believe I could play Test cricket. But Stokesy and Baz took over, and I play with even more freedom now than I did before. ‘It’s been a crazy journey for me. I’ve played the majority of it abroad, so it was pretty special even being in the field, soaking up the atmosphere. ‘I know how difficult it is here, scoring a hundred at Lord’s is what I dreamt about as a kid. ‘It’s only going to get harder, it will be a tougher summer than this week. ‘For me, it is about playing to my strengths and the way I’ve played through my career. I would be disappointed if I went away from that. ‘I know how difficult the Ashes challenge will be, especially at the top of the order, they (Australia) are probably one of the greatest attacks ever.’ At the close, Ireland — who struggled in the first innings, reaching 172 all out — were finding it tough in the second when England’s declaration put them into bat again and they finished on 97 for three.
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Read more on yesterday’s play at Lord’s, including Nasser Hussain’s verdict
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