Netizens erupt as England’s Ollie Pope smashes historic ton on Day 1 of the one-off Test against Zimbabwe

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Ollie Pope added his name to the list of centurions on a dominant Day 1 for England in the four-day Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. Coming in at the fall of the first wicket with England cruising at 231/1, Pope wasted no time asserting himself at the crease.

With the foundation already laid by Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley, Pope played with remarkable clarity and attacking intent from the outset. He got to his hundred in just 109 deliveries, finishing the day as England’s third centurion, after Duckett’s brisk 140 and Crawley’s composed 124. His century was brought up in style with a crisp boundary, a shot symbolic of the fluent strokeplay that defined his innings. Pope’s partnership with Crawley, worth 137 runs, was a continuation of England’s batting dominance, and his efforts helped push the team past the 400-run mark before stumps. His knock showcased confidence, elegance, and precision against a Zimbabwe bowling attack that struggled for control and consistency on a flat deck. Pope capitalized on the lack of pressure, dismantling anything loose with ease and rotating strike with authority to keep the scoreboard ticking.

With this century, Pope not only enhanced his personal tally but also marked a significant milestone in his Test career. This was his eighth Test century overall and notably his fifth at home in England. Playing in his 56th Test match and 98th innings, Pope has now accumulated over 3,200 runs at a healthy average above 35. His record on home soil is especially impressive, where he has crossed the 1,720-run mark at an average exceeding 40, including eight fifties to go along with his five centuries. This consistency in English conditions has firmly established Pope as a vital part of England’s top order, particularly when batting at number three. Away from home, he has added over 1,500 runs with three centuries and seven fifties, proving he can adapt and deliver across different conditions. His growing reliability at number three continues to add depth and solidity to England’s batting lineup, especially on days when the top order gets off to a strong start.

Pope’s century was not just another landmark, it placed him in esteemed company among England’s top No. 3 Test performers. Only three Englishmen, Wally Hammond, Ken Barrington and David Gower, have scored more Test centuries at number three than Pope. His seven centuries at that position highlight his remarkable contribution in one of the most challenging and vital spots in the batting order.

Additionally, Pope’s eighth overall Test hundred came against his eighth different international opponent, an impressive display of versatility and adaptability against a variety of bowling attacks across conditions. The fact that Pope continues to deliver these high-impact innings while still facing the pressure of competition for his spot adds a layer of resilience to his game. England’s batting order remains in formidable hands with Pope anchoring the middle order with such assuredness and flair.

The only England batters with more Test hundreds at No.3 than Ollie Pope are Ken Barrington, David Gower, and Wally Hammond

— Ben Jones (@benjonescricket) May 22, 2025

Ollie Pope becomes the third England batter today to score a century. First Ben Duckett. Then Zak Crawley. Now Pope. Top 3 all getting to three figures. And you wouldn't want to bet against Joe Root making it four. But probably not today. Probably… #ENGvZIM

— Aatif Nawaz (@AatifNawaz) May 22, 2025

Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope have become the first top three in Test history to all make hundreds in the same innings twice

— Ben Gardner (@Ben_Wisden) May 22, 2025

That's Ollie Pope's eighth Test hundred – one shy of Trott and Robin Smith's career tallies. He's got seven tons at three, too.

England are in a pretty good position if he's someone in danger of losing his spot.

— Yas Rana (@Yas_Wisden) May 22, 2025

Ollie Pope has eight hundreds against eight different opponents.

— Himanshu Pareek (@Sports_Himanshu) May 22, 2025

The only nation Ollie Pope has played and not scored a 100 against is Australia.

His highest score against them is 42.

— Rivaan Athwal (@rivaanathwal31) May 22, 2025

Ollie Pope will need at least 100 more to keep his place in the side once Bethell comes back. Advantage for Pope is that he can keep and be flexible in batting order and does go big when he gets a 100

— Chatil Panditasekara (@ChatilPandi) May 22, 2025

8️⃣th Test hundred for Ollie Pope 💯#Cricket #olliepope #ENGvZIM #EnglandCricket

— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) May 22, 2025

Ollie Pope 🤝🏻 Trent Bridge. Again. He loves batting at Nottingham.

Lovely batter. Yes I've always bern a fan but how anyone can think Crawley is better is beyond me. #ENGvZIM

— Charlie 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇪🇺 (@cas_rasen) May 22, 2025

1. Zak Crawley 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣2. Ben Duckett 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣3. Ollie Pope 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣

Not a bad day for our top order 💪

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) May 22, 2025

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