Ollie Pope Reinforces Claim to England's No 3 Spot with Strong 90 Versus Lions

It's hard to determine how relevant of the English team's practice match will end up being important when their Ashes series contest kicks off 10km away at Perth Stadium on Friday – a short span in geography or duration but ages away in import and mood – but if it achieved only enhancing Ollie Pope's self-belief, that on its own has made the effort worthwhile.

England's number three batsman – that point is surely completely established – built on his first-innings ton by adding an additional 90 in the follow-up innings, and the truly impressive was not merely the number of scored runs but the style in which they were accumulated. At times the young batsman looked dominant, smashing a dozen boundaries and a pair of sixes, connecting with the ball sweetly but with devilish intent.

It was only a exhibition game against a Lions team that employed exactly 11 pitchers during a match staged in amid a handful of onlookers in a open field, but it was nevertheless extremely praiseworthy. For the record, the England team, set a target of 202 once the Lions declared their second innings on 251 for six, succeeded by a margin of five wickets after Jamie Smith hurried the team over the conclusion with a series of fours and sixes.

Zak Crawley and Duckett, the remaining significant first-innings' performers, both failed in the second innings, while Joe Root added additional points – 31 on this time – but was far from more assured, then being puzzled and accordingly bowled by Jacks. Harry Brook met an same fate soon afterwards.

Bashir – who ended the match having bowled 12 overs for either team – will have found some of the batting he confronted quite challenging. His first six deliveries versus the Lions conceded 56, with Ben McKinney taking advantage to bowling that if not entirely loose was definitely not very intimidating.

After the sixth of those deliveries, the English side's other pitchers had given away almost precisely the same amount of points – 57 – from 15, though Bashir turned a little less leaky later on, allowing 27 from his final six. He took a single wicket, taking a clever, low-down catch, leaning to his right, to finish Bethell's innings for 70, from 80 balls.

Jacob Bethell, compensating for achieving merely a small score in the first innings, was a member of a trio of players with fifties in the Lions team's top order. McKinney's performances from opening batsman were more reliable than those of their No 3: he made 66 in their first batting effort and went two better in their second innings, facing 61 balls over his 50 runs, with five boundaries and two sixes, the pair against Bashir's's deliveries. Jacob Bethell reached 68 before a mis-hit to Ben Stokes at cover, who held a stooping catch at shin level.

Cox showed like steadiness, and followed his initial innings' 53 with an additional 57, at just over a run per delivery. There were some exceptionally elegant shots during his innings, such as a drive down the ground and a pull shot off back-to-back Brydon Carse deliveries to achieve his fifty.

Following his absence from the first day of this fixture with a illness and made only the most minor of efforts to the follow-up, Brydon Carse pitched brilliantly when eventually afforded the opportunity, with Ben McKinney and Cox among his three wickets.

This report may be updated