Ollie Pope, the English drummer, said life in a bio-safe coronavirus bubble is “difficult and intense” after running valuable races on the third check off the West Indies. Pope’s 91 undefeated took England to 258-4 on the first day of Friday at Old Trafford.
It’s a vital round, with England dropping to 92-3 after wasting the draw on the last three-game crusade lately at level 1-1. Pope’s last four hits in this series had yielded a combined total of just 43 points.
The 22-year-old admitted after the tensions he had struggled with the protocols put in place for a series marking the return of foreign cricket from the coronavirus blockade, and that both sides were confined to hotels during the campaign.
“To be honest, I found it hard to be in such an intense environment,” Pope said. “I missed the first two games and couldn’t get out of it. The hotel overlooks the cricket field, you can’t pass out for a coffee, you can’t see your family… it’s not easy. You can think of your stick, your chess, a little more than usual, so buying food is a great feeling.
“At the established time (of the first test) in Southampton, I was late in the day and 20 minutes after I was delivered, I went back to my room. End up betting on your brain over and over again.”
But Pope said his teammates helped him maintain morale. “The kids overlook you, and everything is very close, so if someone has a little mental discomfort, we’re among us.”
Pope won a fine from Jos Buttler on Friday in an uninterrupted 136, with the goalkeeper’s 56 not in his first 50 innings in 14 attempts. “One of the things we’re talking about is if you commit, you get money in and earn as big as possible,” Pope said.
As for the prospect of completing what would be the century of his 10-test career, and first on domestic soil, Pope added: “Of course you need to get your penny, but I’ll see you to put it out tonight: chill out, watch a movie, take a sleeping pill before you go to bed. I haven’t done it yet, but it would be a great feeling.”
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