London [UK], August 2: England's stand-in captain Ollie Pope expressed that he isn't surprised by the criticism he has faced during his brief tenure as captain. He aims to ignore the negativity and avoid "overthinking" as he prepares for the final Test against Sri Lanka at The Oval, which is the home ground of his county team, Surrey.
Although England achieved a series-clinching 190-run victory against Australia, Pope's struggles in the Test series, having scored only 30 runs in four innings, have been a significant point of discussion. Additionally, his performance with the Decision Review System (DRS) has been notably poor.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan criticized Pope during the second Test, describing him as "an insecure human being" and suggesting he is not suited to lead England.
In response to this criticism, Pope acknowledged he anticipated such comments and had discussed them with regular captain Ben Stokes, who is currently sidelined with an injury. Pope emphasized the importance of blocking out distractions and staying connected with his support network amidst the influx of opinions from various quarters, including former cricketers.
Pope stated that while everyone's opinions are valid, it's crucial for the team to maintain trust in each other, which will help him return to his best form. He stressed the need to remain grounded and avoid excessive contemplation.
He explained that poor performances can feel more severe due to external noise, but emphasized staying level-headed and focused on the task at hand. Pope also mentioned seeking advice from Joe Root, noting that any batter could benefit from Root’s experience.
"Form comes and goes... for me, it's about not overthinking, continuing to train hard, and treating each game as a fresh start," he concluded.
Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to field first. England scored 427 runs in their first innings, with Root (143 in 206 balls, including 18 fours) and Gus Atkinson (118 in 115 balls, featuring 14 fours and four sixes) both making centuries.
Asitha Fernando (5/102) was Sri Lanka's top bowler, while Milan Rathnayake and Lahiru Kumara each took two wickets.
Sri Lanka, despite Kamindu Mendis's resilient 74 runs off 120 balls (with eight fours and three sixes), only managed 196 runs in their first innings due to a weak top-order. Chris Woakes, Olly Stone, Gus Atkinson, and Matthew Potts each took two wickets, and Shoaib Bashir took one, leaving England with a 231-run lead.
In England's second innings, they were all out for 251 runs, with Root contributing 103 off 121 balls (with 10 fours) and Harry Brook adding 37 from 36 balls (including four boundaries and a six). Asitha Fernando (3/52) and Lahiru Kumara (3/53) were the top wicket-takers for Sri Lanka.
In their chase of 483, Sri Lanka fought hard with half-centuries from Dimuth Karunaratne (55 off 129 balls, with seven fours), Dinesh Chandimal (58 off 62 balls, with 11 fours), and captain Dhananjaya de Silva (50 off 71 balls, with seven fours). However, they were ultimately dismissed for 292 runs, losing by 190 runs.
Atkinson (5/62) was England’s standout bowler, claiming his third five-wicket haul at Lord's. Olly Stone and Chris Woakes each took two wickets. Atkinson was named 'Player of the Match' for his exceptional performance.
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