England‘s Ollie Pope demonstrated his batting mastery by scoring his sixth Test century on the Day 1 of the second Test match against the West Indies  in Nottinghamshire.

After Alzarri Joseph dismissed Zak Crawley for a duck in the very first over, Pope stepped in to stabilize the innings. He formed a vital 105-run partnership with Ben Duckett, who scored a brisk 71 off 59 balls before being dismissed.

Century milestone for Ollie Pope

At the lunch interval on day one, Pope was well-settled on 47 off 75 balls. He continued his composed batting after lunch, reaching his half-century in 81 balls. The West Indies team missed opportunities to dismiss him, dropping him twice, which allowed him to maintain his momentum.

Pope’s milestone century came in the 46th over, bowled by Jayden Seales. A well-placed boundary to deep square leg brought up his sixth Test hundred, completed in 143 balls. His innings was a blend of patience and aggression, crucial in bolstering England’s position.

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Support from a ‘Lucky Charm’

Post-match, Pope revealed his delight in having Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale among the spectators at Trent Bridge. A dedicated Arsenal fan, Pope considers Ramsdale his “lucky charm.” Ramsdale, part of the England squad that finished runners-up at Euro 2024, was also present when Pope scored a double century against Ireland at Lord’s.

“I’m obviously a big Arsenal fan, so I go and support him a fair bit. He seems to be my lucky charm on the cricket pitch as well! He’s come to two other games and in one of them I scored 200. It always happens to be the day he’s there that I get the runs, so I think he can come more often,” Pope was quoted as saying by the Guardian.

England’s commanding total against the West Indies

England, after being put in to bat first, reached a commanding total of 416 all out on the opening day. Pope’s resilient 121 was the cornerstone of England’s innings, providing a strong platform for the hosts in the second Test against the West Indies at Trent Bridge. His innings, marked by grit and determination, ensured that England ended the day in a formidable position.

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