Oh boy, young Pope looks the part

THE clock struck 11.42am when a new chapter in English cricket began. Never before had Ollie Pope walked to the crease so early in an innings.

Just 50 legitimate deliveries had been sent down by the India attack when Pope embarked on the fabled walk through the Long Room towards the middle for his first international combat.

With applause rippling around the famous old ground, Joe Root, his captain and third-wicket partner, met him on the journey. One suggestion was that he was verifying the age of England’s new No 4 to the gateman. Twenty he may be, but Pope could comfortably pass for younger.

Jokes aside, Root, a thoughtful and caring man as well as an astute cricketer, would have wanted to give Pope his blessing as someone thrust into a similar situation in the past. Root was just a few months older when he made his international bow in India in 2012.

The act of reassurance would have settled any lingering nerves for a batsman more accustomed to batting two places lower but identified by national selector Ed Smith as having the attributes to cope with a significant promotion.

Indeed, the earliest Pope had taken guard in his 15 previous first-class matches was the 23rd over of Surrey’s crushing win over Yorkshire in May, when Root looked on from the field.

Pope’s unbeaten 158 was to prove influential in his short-term future. The way he began yesterday in front of a 28,500 crowd suggested he possesses the temperament for a fruitful long-term one, too. While Root scratched away at the other end, Pope took on board Surrey director of cricket Alec Stewart’s advice to do things his own way with some fluent striking. A flick off the pads second ball danced to the ropes to draw a boyish grin.

Indeed, such was Pope’s application that it was a surprise when, having kept the scoreboard ticking with regular tucks to the onside, he played around a delivery from seamer Hardik Pandya.

The start was promising. The challenge now is to prove it was not a false one.