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England’s stand-in Test captain, Ollie Pope, shrugged off his critics with an incredible run-a-ball 103 against Sri Lanka during day one of the ongoing third Test at The Kia Oval.

Averaging a mere 7.40 in the previous four innings, Pope hit his seventh hundred in this format on Friday (September 6), becoming the first batter in 147-year history to register his first seven Test tons against different opponents.

Since Ben Stokes got ruled out of the home summer with a hamstring injury ahead of this series, Pope took over the baton for Sri Lanka Tests.

Though England won the first two Tests under his leadership, Pope received severe criticism from former captain Michael Vaughan, who called him ‘an insecure human being’ and ill-equipped to lead the England Test team. 

With plenty riding on his shoulders and in the back of his mind, Pope had to pull up his socks and score runs at his home ground, which he did and earned praise. 

Even Vaughan took to social media to congratulate Pope on his seventh Test hundred.

Meanwhile, the day ended abruptly due to bad light, with England’s scorecard reading 221 for three.

“Brilliant 100 from Ollie Pope England 221 for 3 and off again for bad light Seriously Test cricket has a problem,” Vaughan wrote on X.
Pope scored his maiden Test hundred (135*) against South Africa, with the remaining ones coming against New Zealand (145), Pakistan (108), Ireland (205), India (196), West Indies (121) and recently against Sri Lanka (103), respectively.

The only teams he has yet to score a hundred in Tests are Australia, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. 

With England set to face Zimbabwe and Australia next year, Pope can add those two teams to his elite list.
England veteran and third-highest Test wicket-taker, James Anderson, has confirmed he will continue as England’s bowling consultant for the upcoming Test tours of Pakistan (in October) and New Zealand (in December). 

Since retiring from Tests in June earlier this year, Anderson and ECB decided on this role for just two series – against West Indies and Sri Lanka.

However, both parties have agreed to extend this tenure for the remainder of the year.

"At the minute, I'm due to go to Pakistan and New Zealand in the winter," Anderson said in a chat with Sky Sports ahead of the third Test against Sri Lanka.

"Then nothing concrete after that.

"I'm very new to this, I'm still learning as we go.

It's partly me trying to figure out if this is where I want to go with the next stage of my career and also for them to figure out if I'm any good at it as well,” he continued.