England’s stand-in captain, Ollie Pope, achieved a rare milestone in cricket on Friday. Playing in his 49th Test match, he became the first cricketer to score his first seven Test centuries against seven different teams. He hit an unbeaten 103 runs on the first day of the third Test against Sri Lanka at The Oval, leading England to a solid position at 221/3.
Pope’s Return to Form
Before this game, Pope had struggled for form, scoring just 30 runs in four innings since taking over the captaincy from Ben Stokes, who is injured. However, Friday’s performance marked a significant return to form for Pope, who reached his first century as England’s captain and his 12th in first-class cricket.
Seven Centuries Against Seven Teams
Ollie Pope’s seven Test centuries, each against a different team, mark a unique achievement in cricket. Here’s a breakdown of his centuries:
- 1st Century: In January 2020, Pope scored an unbeaten 135 against South Africa while batting at No. 6. This was his only century outside the No. 3 position.
- 2nd Century: In June 2022, he scored 145 against New Zealand at Nottingham, his first hundred while batting at No. 3.
- 3rd Century: In December 2022, Pope hit 108 off 104 balls against Pakistan in Rawalpindi.
- 4th Century: In June 2023, he scored 205 runs off 208 balls against Ireland at Lord’s, his first double century in Test cricket.
- 5th Century: In January 2024, Pope played a brilliant innings, scoring 196 against India in Hyderabad.
- 6th Century: In July 2024, he made 121 runs against the West Indies in Nottingham.
- 7th Century: His unbeaten 103 against Sri Lanka at The Oval in September 2024 completed his
A Rare Achievement in Test Cricket
Pope’s ability to score centuries against different opponents highlights his skill and versatility. The only Test-playing nations he has yet to score against are Australia, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, and Afghanistan, though he hasn’t faced these teams, except Australia, in his career so far.
Ollie Pope’s remarkable achievement sets him apart in Test cricket history, further establishing his reputation as one of the sport’s rising stars.
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