Ollie Pope: How Surrey’s young batsman went from club cricket to an England Test debut | City A.M.
Just over a year ago Ollie Pope was making his County Championship debut for Surrey against Middlesex at The Oval – a fixture until now notable mainly for a crossbow bolt which was bizarrely fired into the stadium.
Looking back it also marked one of the key steps in Pope’s whirlwind nascent career, which has seen him go from young up-and-comer to the England Test side in the blink of an eye.
Called up in place of the out-of-form Dawid Malan, the 20-year-old batsman is set to become the 10th youngest England debutant on Thursday in the second Test match against India.
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To some observers it may feel like he’s come out of nowhere to jump the queue, but his weight of runs, along with his attitude and willingness to learn, made him the outstanding candidate for the selection panel.
He’s scored 684 runs at an average of 85.50 for Surrey in Division One of the County Championship this season, with three hundreds. Across his first-class career – albeit just 15 matches – he averages 71.54 against pace and 45 when facing spin.
Put up to face the media, Pope showed the same self-confidence which has been evident in his batting over the last year. “Everyone always says: if you’re good enough, you’re old enough,” he said. “So far I’ve never felt out of my depth.”
Looking at his pathway and speaking to those who have witnessed it first-hand, it’s hard to argue.
Level-headed
Pope’s roots lie in Surrey, at Guildford Cricket Club and Cranleigh School. It will come as no surprise that he excelled while at both.
Having joined Guildford as a colt, aged eight or nine, he progressed quickly, with his wicket-keeping initially standing out above his batting.
Aged just 14 he made his first XI debut in the Surrey Championship Division One, something which is “very unusual”, according to the club’s vice-president Richard Spiller.
“He’s always been regarded as a classy player,” he says. “When you’re making your first-team debut that young it suggests there’s something pretty impressive about you.”
Ollie Pope has impressed at every level he’s played during his short career (Source: Getty)
Having been thrown into the deep end of adult league cricket, earlier than the likes of club products Martin Bicknell and Ashley Giles, the diminutive Pope took his skills to Cranleigh where he continued to turn heads.
He captained the first XI for two years and scored more than 2000 runs at an average of 50 in his four years at the school, making an impression on and off the pitch.
Alex Forsdike, the master in charge of cricket at Cranleigh, describes him as “very level-headed, with a committed approach, strong character and a down to earth personality” – characteristics which have helped him climb cricket’s ladder at such speed.
Quick learner
Pope was put on Surrey’s emerging players programme before joining the academy. Having moved up a level he adapted swiftly and continued to learn – a recurring theme in his story.
Under the tutelage of Surrey’s academy director Gareth Townsend and director of cricket Alec Stewart, Pope ascended the ranks.
“There’s something about him,” Spiller says. “I think it’s the way he’s kicked on every time he’s gone up a level. He’s got better. As Alec Stewart has pointed out, he learns incredibly quickly: he picks things up straight away, so you only have to tell him once.”
Before too long, Pope was thrust into the spotlight, aged 18. In August 2016 he was picked last-minute to play on one of the biggest stages in domestic cricket – the One-Day Cup semi-final against Yorkshire at Headingley.
Ollie Pope averages 63.25 in first-class cricket (Source: Getty)
Playing alongside England’s man of the match from the first India Test last week, Sam Curran, Pope made 20 from 23 balls as Surrey won by 19 runs. The scorecard doesn’t look remarkable, but BBC Radio London commentator Mark Church knew he was seeing the beginning of a long career.
“He looked very comfy,” he says. “Not over-awed, but like someone who had played 50 one-day games.”
Having impressed with his array of shots in the shorter formats, Pope would have to wait until the end of the following summer for his chance in the four-day competition. But once it came he didn’t let it slip.
In just his second County Championship appearance Pope struck an unbeaten hundred at the Ageas Bowl to ensure a draw.
Parliamentary praise
Emboldened, Pope headed off to Australia for the winter to play for Campbelltown-Camden cricket club in Sydney, where he scored 996 runs in 23 games and affected 38 dismissals behind the stumps.
As well as improving his game and experiencing a different environment, he earned praise from local politician Chris Patterson, who stood in parliament to commend Pope for being an “absolute gentleman and a wonderful role model” for the club where he is vice-president.
A productive North v South series in pre-season followed and once back in England the runs – and the praise – kept on coming. An unbeaten 158 against Yorkshire, who were captained by England’s Joe Root, was a particular highlight.
Ollie Pope was one of the stars of the North v South series in pre-season (Source: Getty)
Crucially, “he’s done it front of the right people”, as Church puts it. Root can’t help but have been impressed, while England batting coach Mark Ramprakash saw him up close in Barbados as coach of the South side.
Meanwhile, former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara and Guildford CC alumnus Rikki Clarke have acted as mentors at Surrey over the last two seasons. That’s a lot of experience to soak up.
Pope has jumped through every hoop placed in front of him and those who know him believe he can negotiate the final one.
“There’s nothing there to worry me about him stepping up to play a Test match,” says Church. “He’s an incredibly naturally talented player.”
Former England and Surrey fast bowler Chris Tremlett agrees.
“He is a very mature lad for his age,” he says. “He’s taking everything in his stride and isn’t getting carried away. He’s got this opportunity and I hope he’ll grasp it with both hands.”