England’s new Test vice-captain Ollie Pope has revealed how the backing he received from Ben Stokes last year helped rebuild his self-belief.
Pope had been in and out of the side before Stokes took over as skipper last summer and was an unused squad member in the West Indies in Joe Root’s final series in charge.
The Surrey batter has previously admitted he feared losing his place in the squad altogether but Stokes helped remove those insecurities by not only restoring him to the XI, but promoting him to the pivotal number three slot.
His output has improved significantly, averaging 38.52 in the last 12 Tests versus a modest 28.66 in the previous 23, with a career-best 145 against New Zealand at Trent Bridge and a dashing hundred in Pakistan showing the 25-year-old at his best.
Now he has been installed as Stokes’ official deputy at the start of an Ashes summer, having impressed senior members of the side with his confidence and tactical acumen. And he credits Stokes’ man-management with kicking off his reinvention.
Speaking at Walton Heath Golf Club, the venue for this year’s AIG Women’s Open, he told Dan Walker: “I think there was a time after the last Ashes where he thought I was better than I thought I was, to be honest.
“That’s probably why I got picked when they (Stokes and Brendon McCullum) came in. He backed me for a long time more than I backed myself, for sure. He’s brought that out of me so now I feel like I’m a good player and he feels like I am too.
“I mean he’s a superstar now, you travel the world with him and it doesn’t matter what country we’re in, he’s getting recognised everywhere he goes, but the best thing about him is he’d do anything for his team.”
Pope has particularly enjoyed the relaxed environment that Stokes and McCullum have championed.
Training is now focused on individual requirements rather than mandatory time slots, team bonding is considered just as important as data analysis and there is a palpable sense of fun when the squad gets together.
The contrast could hardly be more apparent compared to the last Ashes tour Down Under, when Covid-19 restrictions were in force and cast a long shadow over England’s 4-0 series defeat.
“That was obviously a tough trip. It was also a trip where we got put in a hotel room for basically 10 days before we were allowed out, things that aren’t amazing for your mental health,” he said.
“Playing for England should be the best time of your life as a player and at the time it probably wasn’t.
“It was too much pressure, too much stress. What the guys like Stokes, McCullum and Rob Key have done is they’ve just made a Test match week a fun week.
“We’ll go out and play golf the day before after training. We’ll then just talk about ‘how good is this? We get to play at Lord’s in front of a packed house’ and just be a bit more grateful for what we can do that week, rather than thinking ‘oh, if I miss that, this could be my last one’.”
:: To buy tickets for this year’s AIG Women’s Open, taking place at Walton Heath from 9-13 August, visit https://bit.ly/AIGWO23Tickets
Salt century gives England winning start to West Indies T20 series
Phil Salt hit a superb century as England drew first blood in their T20 series against West Indies, with a commanding eight-wicket victory at the Kensington Oval.
Salt's unbeaten 103 off 54 balls was the highlight for the tourists, who successfully chased down their target of 183 with 19 balls to spare.
The West Indies endured a difficult start and were reduced to 18-3 and later 117-8, with Saqib Mahmood (4-34) and Adil Rashid (3-32) doing the damage.
However, the hosts managed 65 runs in the last 5.2 overs to finish at 182-8, with Gukadesh Motie knocking 33 off 14 balls along the way.
Salt kick-started England's chase with 50 off just 25 deliveries taking them to 73-1 after six overs, with Will Jacks (17) dismissed with the final ball of the powerplay.
Jos Buttler's first match after four months out lasted just three minutes, as the skipper was caught by Motie for a golden duck.
However, it proved a false dawn for West Indies, with Salt and Jacob Bethall (58 from 36 balls) safely steering England to victory.
Data Debrief: Salt completes hat-trick of hundreds as Bethell makes historic half-century
England put their disappointing ODI series behind them, making history with the highest T20 chase at the Kensington Oval.
Salt was the hero with his third T20I century, all of which have come against West Indies in the past 12 months.
Bethell also made history on Saturday. Aged 21 years and 17 days, he become the youngest England player to score a 50 in a T20I.
Asalanka leads Sri Lanka to ODI series win over West Indies
Sri Lanka wrapped up the ODI series against the West Indies with a five-wicket victory in Pallekele.
The hosts successfully chased down their opponents' total of 189, giving them an unassailable 2-0 in the three-match series.
Sri Lanka controlled the early powerplay - Asitha Fernando (3-35) and Maheesh Theekshana (3-25) took two wickets apiece to leave the tourists at 31-4 in the ninth over.
Wanindu Hasaranga (4-40) then claimed three of his four wickets as Roston Chase, Romario Shepherd, Hayden Walsh and Alzarri Joseph were all dismissed in the space of 14 balls.
However, Sherfane Rutherford (80 off 82 balls) and Gudakesh Motie (50 not out) steadied the ship to take the Windies from 58-8 to 189.
Although Joseph claimed Avishka Fernando (9) in the fourth over, Nishan Madushka and Sadeera Samarawickrama both chipped in with contributions of 38 to get the hosts to 112-4.
Skipper Charith Asalanka (62 not out) led the charge thereon, while Kamindu Mendis (11) comfortably got them over the line with 34 balls remaining.
Data Debrief: Rutherford-Motie historic stand proves academic for tourists
West Indies were looking to level the series, but their hopes were not aided by Sri Lanka's impressive bowling.
Rutherford and Motie did their best. Their partnership brought 119 runs, which is their nation's highest ninth-wicket stand in ODI history, breaking the previous record of 85 between Yannic Cariah and Alzarri Joseph.
However, it ultimately proved in vain as the hosts secured the series with a game to spare.
'I was a tired, grumpy old man' - Stokes apologised to England team-mates after Pakistan defeat
Ben Stokes says he apologised to his England team-mates after his frustrations were evident during the second-Test defeat by Pakistan.
The hosts levelled the three-Test series on Thursday after wrapping up a 152-run win in Multan.
However, it could have been a different story but for fielding errors at crucial stages for the visitors, Jamie Smith and Joe Root notably dropping catches to dismiss Salman Agha, whose subsequent knock of 63 helped Pakistan seal victory with a day to spare.
Stokes, who returned to action following a hamstring injury, could not hide his frustration during a difficult day for England, but insisted he would not let his emotions get the better of him again.
"No one means to drop catches, but it just proves how important catches are in these subcontinent conditions, they don't come along that often," he told Sky Sports.
"I actually apologised to the group last night. It's the first time in my captaincy that I've let my emotions and how I was feeling with the way the game was unfolding show in my body language.
"I owned up to that and was very annoyed at myself for letting that out. It's something that I don't want to do or be seen to be doing, so I apologised to the group about that.
"Poor old me, I was a tired, grumpy old man last night! You won't see that happen again."
However, England coach Brendon McCullum defended the actions of his skipper.
"We all know how passionate Ben is, how much it means for him to play for England," he said.
"We've seen that through his bloody-mindedness to get back from injury, which was significant, and to do so in a nine-week timeframe and to have his first TM [Test match] in extreme conditions, 40 degrees, and be able to give what he gave to the side.
"I think, maybe, that's where some of that frustration led to - certainly, it wasn't directed at any of the players. It was more about trying to assess the rhythm of the game, and to impact on it."
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