England’s No.3s have had a terrible run in Australia. Will Ollie Pope be the next to suffer?

The Ashes is make or break for Ollie Pope. He plays his 62nd Test in Perth, drawing level with the likes of Ted Dexter and Robin Smith for the number of England caps, after holding off Jacob Bethell for his place.

Even though he says that tussle with Bethell has motivated him, if he endures another lean or inconsistent series, he will not be able to hold back his younger rival for much longer.

Ashes tours are judgment time. Pope can secure his place and reputation, or will be a casualty if England lose without putting up a fight, and he bats poorly.

Recent history does not bode well for England No.3s on losing sides in Australia. Jonathan Trott’s career effectively ended in 2013, James Vince played just one more Test after the 2017-18 series and Dawid Malan was axed for good after the last tour. Pope is still relatively young at 27, but has played plenty of Tests. It is now or never.

Sacked as the vice-captain, losing one shield of protection, Pope clearly has something to prove to captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum whatever he says about having “respect” for the decision.

He spent the period after the end of the season working on his technique.

“Just a couple of little technical bits,” he said of the changes. “Just smoothing out a few areas.”

But he refused to elaborate.

He was not tested much at Lilac Hill this week when he scored 100 in the first innings and 90 in the second against the Lions. A low, slow pitch was placid, and he faced English-style seamers, lacking Test-level pace, and there were no Australian bowlers to give him a verbal taste of what’s to come.

That is not his fault; Pope did what he could and cannot be held responsible for England’s preparation. He looked calm at the crease, although that has been the case for a year now, and even though he knew the prevailing opinion was that he would keep his Test place, he still had to back that up with runs made in an authoritative way.

He was the best batsman on show in the game, and for a confidence player, that can only be a good thing.

‘He will not make a run,’ says Mark Waugh

Pope has toured Australia before, playing three Tests in the wretched series four years ago.

He can use that experience to his benefit because he at least knows what to expect, even if his Ashes average of 15 is summed up by the last image of him in Australia, bowled round his legs shuffling across his stumps in Hobart four years ago.

“I got dropped pretty quickly in the last series, and rightly so at the time,” he said. “I just wasn’t as clear how I wanted to play. I didn’t know my game well enough, and I didn’t know the conditions like I thought I might have known them, so they’re things I’ve banked.

“Growing up a little bit and getting used to playing these big series and games helps. For me, I’ve got complete clarity in how I want to go about batting on each of these pitches.”

Mark Waugh is one who needs convincing. In an otherwise positive appreciation of the England team on The Grade Cricketer podcast – not all Australians are dismissive of Bazball – Waugh was harsh on Pope.

“He will not make a run,” he said.

Pope says he is hardened to all that kind of stuff. He has taken the criticism to heart before, but is mature enough to realise it comes with the territory.

Losing the vice-captaincy was probably a blessing. He never looked like a natural leader, and in his final Test as a stand-in for Stokes at the Oval in the fifth Test against India, it appeared England were being captained from afar. Stokes did all the pre- and post-match media conferences.

Of greater concern than a management role was staying in the side. A year ago, he left New Zealand wondering if his future with England would be as a back-up keeper. Bethell had done well and taken to Test cricket nicely at No.3, while Pope kept and batted well in three Tests as an emergency wicketkeeper.

Had England played another Test series soon after instead of six months later, it is highly likely Bethell would have kept his place, and Pope would possibly be in a different position now.

But white-ball cricket intervened, and England set up Bethell to fail. He stayed at the Indian Premier League and barely played any meaningful red-ball cricket all year. Pope lit up the early Test summer but faded again, averaging 25 in the rest of the series against India after his first-innings hundred in the opening Test at Headingley.

Pope remains at No.3 because of Bethell’s poor recent run; he never exceeded 24 in nine England innings after his first professional hundred against South Africa in September.

While some argue Bethell would have been selected based on potential, there could have been more substance to it had he been picked by England at the start of last summer.

Bethell’s second-innings 70 for the Lions on Saturday was at least progress. He should play for the Lions next week when they face Australia A on Friday, once released as cover for any late injury in the Test side, and in the two-day match against a Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra between the first and second Tests.

For now, Pope has seen off Bethell.

“I hope so,” Pope said. “I’ve got so used to those conversations being had, and seeing them. I don’t go looking for them, but it’s pretty hard to avoid sometimes. I’m so used to seeing it, I’ve just learnt to focus on my game. I’m just trying to become a better player each time I step out and that’s all I can do.”

Telegraph, London