England 221 for 3 (Pope 103*, Duckett 86) versus Sri Lanka Ollie Pope planted his front foot, aimed at the ball, punched his cheek, and cut towards the boundary to lift a crucial century. Each is important, of course, but it was personal across Sri Lanka on the opening day of this third Test and in an already successful series against England. Pope's seventh Test ton, which he scored against as many different opposition teams in the first for the game, came under intense pressure from four previous failures in the series when he skippered Ben Stokes the injured replacement. That role itself put Pope under further scrutiny but Stokes' knowing nod as he beat Milestone from the changing room balcony said it all, hailing a defiant innings that was right up his alley. Moments later, Pope was unbeaten on 103 off as many balls, followed by soft applause from the three-quarter Kia Oval as the umpires guided players out field for bad light for the second time in the day The batsman we...
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