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Ollie Pope


Hetty said:
Pope this series

106 & 8
0 & 24
44 & 4
71
22 & 7

Vaughn reckons Brook should be made captain instead of promoting Pope
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Seems an odd one for its timing. Are we thinking of replacing him as vice captain because of the maturity and judgement Brook showed in getting himself out yesterday*, or because of the unarguable case Bethel made that he should have his place in the side?

* I’m with Vaughan on his view of Brook the batter. It was by batting the way that he did that he turned the game around, and turned it into what should now still be a probable England victory. If he had batted the Agnew Public School traditionalist manner we would have quietly subsided to the inevitable defeat that the 370 chase always led to in the past. But I still don’t see him as a captain.
 
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Fleagle said:
Seems an odd one for its timing. Are we thinking of replacing him as vice captain because of the maturity and judgement Brook showed in getting himself out yesterday*, or because of the unarguable case Bethel made that he should have his place in the side?

* I’m with Vaughan on his view of Brook the batter. It was by batting the way that he did that he turned the game around, and turned it into what should now still be a probable England victory. If he had batted the Agnew Public School traditionalist manner we would have quietly subsided to the inevitable defeat that the 370 chase always led to in the past. But I still don’t see him as a captain.
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IMO he's only in the side because he's Vice Captain and gets loyalty. If he wasn't VC he'd be dropped by now

There's a few younger waiting to come into the side. See Smith got his chance over Bairstow and took it

We need to progress all the time

The one bit we aren't getting right is the bowling, not much up and coming talent from that area as of yet
 
I didn't think he should play this series. The Zimbabwe runs whilst great, don't mean a lot when it comes to the bigger games!

I can't however see them changing much this close to the Ashes. If Bethell shaped up well this test then maybe, but I reckon the top 7 as it is now (with Stokes fit) is what we see start in Aus
 
The Graeme Hick of the 2020s.

Dominates county cricket but found wanting against genuine quality international attacks.

It is a bit unfortunate for him that Root, Brook and Stokes have 4,5 and 6 locked down as he would almost certainly fare better in those positions, but he’s definitely not and likely never will be a number 3.
 
Dexter said:
Dominates county cricket but found wanting against genuine quality international attacks.
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I’d be interested to know when he last played regularly for Surrey to ‘dominate county cricket’
Hetty said:
There's a few younger waiting to come into the side. See Smith got his chance over Bairstow and took it
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Who ? Bethell batted like a rabbit in the headlights and is clearly not ready yet
 
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The post Stokes captaincy is a bit worry at the moment. Not just because of what he brings as captain but because it's really not clear who the successor is going to be.

Most of the players are either not established or not guaranteed to keep their place unless their form improves.

Unless Pope bucks his ideas up then it really looks like it's going to end up being Harry Brook who I'm not convinced about as captain material at all.
 
Eggman said:
I’d be interested to know when he last played regularly for Surrey to ‘dominate county cricket’

Who ? Bethell batted like a rabbit in the headlights and is clearly not ready yet
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Rehan Ahmed?

If we had a decent opener, I would have Crawley and Pope competing for the same batting slot. VC should be an automatic pick.
 
Voice of fair play said:
Totally agree, I get it not perfect but it’s the best of available options.

Think Root knows his game inside out more than ever before and is in terrific form and looks very confident at the moment.

I think that more of a factor than is overall average at 3 of which some of them innings would have been several years ago.

Would put any new player 5 or 6 and move the likes of Brook and Root up one place
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Given the frequency that Crawley and/or Pope fail Root frequently comes in to bat early anyway.
However I've a suspicion Bethell will be preferred to Pope at 3 at the beginning of the Ashes series.
 
Although Pope deserved to be dropped, is Bethell any better?

Is there someone else in county cricket that could play at 3?
 
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