Pope Cements Status to England Cricket's Number Three Slot with Impressive 90 Versus Lions

It is tough to know how relevant of the English team's preparatory game will end up being important when their Ashes contest starts 10km away at Perth Stadium on Friday – a short span in space or time but ages away in importance and atmosphere – but if it accomplished nothing more than boosting Pope's self-belief, that alone has rendered the effort beneficial.

England's number three batsman – that point is surely absolutely established – built on his initial innings century by adding an additional 90 in the second, and what was remarkable was not merely the number of runs but the style in which they were scored. At times the 27-year-old appeared commanding, striking a dozen boundaries and a couple of maximums, timing the ball perfectly but with fierce intent.

This was merely a friendly against a Lions squad that used fully 11 pitchers throughout a contest staged in before a few dozen of people in a public park, but it was nevertheless extremely praiseworthy. For the record, England, set a target of 202 after the Lions declared their second innings on 251 for six, triumphed by five wickets in hand once Smith hurried the team over the conclusion with a stream of fours and sixes.

Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, the remaining significant first-innings' achievers, both failed in the second innings, while Joe Root made further runs – 31 on this occasion – but was not enormously more convincing, prior to being bemused and subsequently dismissed by Will Jacks. Brook met an identical fate soon afterwards.

Bashir – who concluded the game having bowled 12 bowling spells for each side – will have encountered some of the hitting he bowled to pretty hostile. His first six overs against the Lions cost 56, with Ben McKinney feasting to deliveries that if not completely poor was certainly far from threatening.

By the conclusion the sixth spell of those deliveries, the English side's three other bowlers had conceded roughly the same number of runs – 57 – from 15, though Bashir turned a somewhat less giving as time passed, conceding 27 from his final six. He claimed a single wicket, taking a sharp, low grab, leaning to his right, to finish Jacob Bethell's innings for 70, off 80 balls.

Bethell, redeeming achieving just a small score in the initial innings, was one of three half-centurions in the Lions' top order. McKinney's performances from opener were more consistent than the scores of their number three: he notched 66 in their first batting effort and improved by two in their follow-up, using 61 balls for his half-century, with five and two maximums, both against Bashir's's deliveries. Jacob Bethell made 68 prior to a mis-hit to Stokes at cover position, who made a bending catch at shin level.

Cox displayed comparable consistency, and built on his first-innings 53 with another 57, at about a scoring rate of one. There were a few outstandingly handsome shots on the way, featuring a drive down the ground and a pull shot from consecutive Carse deliveries to achieve his 50 runs.

Following his absence from the first day of this game with a stomach issue and contributed just the smallest of contributions to the second day, Carse bowled superbly when finally afforded the opportunity, with Ben McKinney and Jordan Cox among his three wickets.

This report may be updated