(Getty Images)
Ollie Pope is confident that England can surpass the 600-run mark within a single day’s play in Test cricket, emphasizing their commitment to maintaining an ultra-aggressive batting approach akin to ‘Bazball’.
England currently hold the record for the highest runs scored in a day of Test cricket, achieved when they amassed 588 for 6 on the second day of the Manchester Test against India back in 1936. Pope believes that under the leadership of Ben Stokes, the current team has the potential to exceed this milestone.
“Sometimes we might score 280 to 300 in a day but that’s OK and probably because we’re reading situations. There might also be a day where we go and get 500 to 600 at some point in the future as well. And that’s a cool thing to have,” Pope was quoting as saying by ‘BBC Sport’.
In December 2022, England blitzed their way to 506 runs on the opening day of the first Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi.
England currently lead the three-match Test series against the West Indies 2-0, having clinched victory by an innings at Lord’s and following up with a commanding 241-run win at Trent Bridge, Nottingham last week.
The third and final Test is set to commence on Friday at Edgbaston.
During their triumph in Nottingham, England achieved a significant milestone by scoring over 400 runs in both innings of a Test match, posting totals of 416 and 425. Ollie Pope, with 121 runs in the first innings, was one of three England centurions in the second Test, joined by Joe Root and Harry Brook.
Pope said “manage the game a little bit more” but that their attacking Bazball style under coach Brendon McCullum and captain Stokes has now become second nature.
“I got asked on day one at Trent Bridge ‘do you get told to play like that?’. No, we don’t. It’s just our natural games and the way we go about it,” Pope said.
