Category News

Tour match, Lila Hill, Perth (day two of three)

England Lions 375: Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Stokes 6-52

England 426: Pope 100, Duckett 92, Crawley 82, Stokes 77; Potts 3-66

Ollie Pope made a century as the majority of England’s top order spent valuable time in the middle in their Ashes warm-up game, though Joe Root and Harry Brook missed out in what might be their final innings before the first Test.

Ben Duckett made 92 and Zak Crawley 82 in an opening stand of 182, while Pope and captain Ben Stokes shared 137 for the fifth wicket on the second day of three in Perth.

In between the two sizable partnerships, England lost four wickets for 16 runs – both Root and Brook out in soft fashion.

Much talk in the Australian media has centred on Root’s lack of a Test century in this country and his preparations were curtailed when he hooked Matthew Potts to mid-wicket for one.

Brook’s innings was awful, showing disdain for this kind of exercise. In his first 15 deliveries, Brook twice danced down to the seamers and attempted a T20-style scoop. From his 16th, Brook again advanced at paceman Nathan Gilchrist and ended outside leg stump as the ball hit off. He was out for two.

Pope took his chance with a measured 100, securing his place in the team for the first Test against Australia on 21 November.

Stokes was similarly patient for his 77, gradually finding a rhythm to his batting after almost four months out with a shoulder injury.

England were bowled out for 426 in response to the Lions’ 375 – a total corrected by the scorers from the original 382 posted on day one.

Lilac Hill has a placid surface, far removed from what England can expect to face at Optus Stadium next week.

The value of these preparations will only be revealed in time, but time in the middle is never a bad thing and Pope led the list of England batters who grasped the opportunity.

Duckett should have been caught at first slip by Ben McKinney on six off the impressive Potts. Reprieved, Duckett and opening partner Crawley rattled along at more than six runs an over in the morning session.

Following the slump at the beginning of the afternoon session, Pope and Stokes respected the chance for match practice.

Any suggestion Pope may have been under pressure from Jacob Bethell was ended by Bethell making only two for the Lions on Thursday. A criticism of Pope is that he is often too skittish in Test cricket, but this innings was a calm one – albeit in gentle surroundings.

Stokes has regularly skipped warm-up matches in the past, though he needed this run-out following his spell on the sidelines. He was watchful for his half-century, taking 92 deliveries to reach 50, then opened his shoulders before being dismissed by Shoaib Bashir.

One other positive for England was the performance of Potts, who is in the Ashes squad despite playing this game for the Lions.

Realistically, Potts is bottom of the pecking order in England’s six Ashes seamers, though his chances of playing a Test have increased with the doubt over Wood.

England will bowl again on Saturday and may now wonder about the chance of Root to bat once more.

Pivotal to England’s Ashes hopes and under scrutiny because of his record in Australia, Root did not pass 25 in the three one-day internationals in New Zealand. His dismissal was uncharacteristic, possibly fuelled by the slow pitch. Root had faced only 12 balls when he fetched a hook at Potts to Lions captain Tom Haines.

If Brook, now England’s vice-captain, bats like he did on Friday there would be little point in him having another knock on Saturday. It was not the “balls to the wall” intensity Stokes promised from his team before this match began.

Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith was another to miss out on batting time, pushing a return catch back to Gilchrist for six.

A further concern was the bowling of Ashes spinners Bashir and Will Jacks. Both men are in the Lions as England look to be favouring an all-pace attack for the first Test.

The pumpkins are firmly in the compost, the last firework has fizzled out and it is the final international break before Christmas.

So, while countries scrap it out for those remaining automatic World Cup spots or a place in the play-offs, League One and League Two can take some of the spotlight.

We could have new leaders in the third tier while in League Two an old face rolls into Milton Keynes and the manager with surely the safest job in the EFL might just be feeling the heat.

When Lincoln City were casting around for a new head coach back in late 2023 the name Michael Skubala may not have been at the top of everyone’s list but, a win over Doncaster on Saturday (15:00 GMT) will take him to the top of something even more important, the League One table.

The former PE teacher had a brief spell as caretaker boss of Leeds United, eventually becoming Javi Gracia’s first-team coach before Lincoln came calling.

After seventh and 11th-place finishes, this week Skubala celebrated two years in charge at Sincil Bank, where a two-goal victory will see them jump from sixth to the summit.

“It doesn’t matter where we are now, it matters where we are at the end of the season – Donny will be a real test for us,” he told BBC Radio Lincolnshire.

Matt Hamshaw spent his Saturday nights during lockdown hosting a Rotherham-themed quiz online so, for a man who was born in the town, supported the club as a youngster and spent time previously on the coaching staff, returning as boss felt like the perfect match.

Two defeats from the final eight games of last season suggested it was indeed a match made in heaven but, fast-forward to six defeats from the opening nine outings of this campaign and questions were being asked.

Hamshaw has been coming up with the answers after going on a six-game unbeaten run in October including a first league win at South Yorkshire rivals Barnsley since 1969 and a 3-0 demolition of high-flying Lincoln.

All that culminated with a nomination for League One manager of the month and a chance to move into the top 10 with a win at Luton on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Luton put down a marker last weekend with their 3-0 win at leaders Stockport and are looking for three successive league victories for the first time since April.

“People might not have given us much hope against Lincoln, they didn’t give us much hope at Barnsley so this is a good opportunity for this group of lads to give it a right good go,” Hamshaw told BBC Radio Sheffield.

The marriage between Karl Robinson and MK Dons was a long and, for the most part, happy one.

He will be forever celebrated as the man who led them to the Championship for the first time in their history but when the divorce came it was painful and, given his previous achievements, perhaps a little surprising.

But MK have a new love these days, a love in its infancy but one which has the promise of blooming into something long lasting.

Head coach Paul Warne will mark his 450th game as a manager on Saturday (15:00 GMT) when Robinson brings his Salford side to the city of concrete cows and roundabouts.

For his part, the Salford boss racks-up his 790th match.

Blood is thicker than water but Harrogate boss Simon Weaver might well be stretching that theory as his side prepare to visit one of League Two’s in-form sides in Notts County (15:00 GMT).

Having taken over in May 2009 the former Lincoln defender is the longest serving boss in the EFL and maybe has the safest job given the fact his Dad, Irving, owns the club.

Five league defeats in a row for the fourth time in his 16-year tenure could be testing those family ties.

Just for the record he has never lost six on the bounce.

“We’re not just doing this as a hobby, we’re desperately keen to win games of football and the best way to do that is be positive to the lads, be truthful but be positive and make sure we stay united,” said Weaver.

Those getting restless may do well to look at their opponents on Saturday.

Martin Paterson was far from a popular choice when named as Notts County’s new boss in June with his only previous experience being 12 defeats during a 20-game spell in charge of Burton.

One point from his first three matches this season had a few Notts fans declaring “I told you so”.

For the second time in four weeks we have a basement battle in League Two – and for the second time it features Newport.

While Cheltenham left South Wales with three points to move out of the relegation zone, County’s horror show of a season continues and even a win at fellow strugglers Shrewsbury (15:00 GMT) is unlikely to get them out of the bottom two.

“Not many managers get away with losing as many games as I have done,” said head coach David Hughes after Tuesday’s 1-0 home loss to Exeter in the EFL Trophy – his thirteenth defeat in all competitions.

Since Newport re-entered the EFL in 2013 this is only the third meeting between these two sides – the Welshmen have taken just one point and failed to score on both occasions.

At least the Exiles have lived up to their name with all their four wins this season coming on the road – you sense that will need to become five this weekend.