England's Ollie Pope made headlines with his blistering knock of 150, the fastest at The Oval, before being dismissed for 325 on day two of the third Test against Sri Lanka. Debutant Josh Hull also left his mark by claiming his first Test wicket, while bad light and the contentious issue of players being called off the field due to darkness continued to frustrate both teams. Despite a late comeback by Sri Lanka's captain Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis, England still holds a first-innings lead but their lower-order collapse in the final six wickets brought some fight from Sri Lanka's side.
England's stand-in captain, Ollie Pope, achieved a remarkable feat on Day 1 of the third Test against Sri Lanka at the Oval. Pope, who was leading the team in the absence of injured Ben Stokes, scored an unbeaten century and became the first player in Test cricket to score his first seven centuries against seven different teams. The 26-year-old batsman's first Test century came against South Africa in 2020, and since then, he has scored six more against New Zealand, Pakistan, Ireland, India, and West Indies.
In his first innings as captain against Sri Lanka, Ollie Pope returned to form with a dominating performance, scoring a run-a-ball 103 not out during England's well-placed 221-3 on the opening day of the third Test. This was his seventh Test century and a historic one as each of his first seven centuries came against different opponents. Despite a strong start, England's opener Ben Duckett was unable to make the most of his innings, giving away his wicket on 86. Duckett praised Pope's ability to ignore the noise and criticism around his leadership and batting, proving his critics wrong with a stellar performance.
After a run of low scores, England captain Ollie Pope made a stunning return to form with a dominant unbeaten 103 in the third and final test against Sri Lanka at The Oval. Along with Ben Duckett's fluent 86, their partnership led England to a strong position of 221-3, making Sri Lanka regret their decision to bowl first in overcast conditions.
"The England national cricket team is set to face off against the Sri Lanka national cricket team on Day 1 of the 2nd Test at Lord's Cricket Ground in London. After a dominant performance in the previous match, England will aim to continue their winning streak while Sri Lanka hopes for a comeback with changes in their lineup. The return of Olly Stone and the inclusion of Pathum Nissanka in Sri Lanka's batting order add an interesting dynamic to the game."
The England men's selection panel has announced a 14-member squad for the upcoming three-match Rothesay Test series against Sri Lanka. Captain Ben Stokes, as well as Zak Crawley and seam bowler Dillion Pennington, have been ruled out due to injuries. Vice-captain Ollie Pope will lead the team in Stokes' absence, while Surrey's Jordan Cox earns his first call-up to the squad. Nottinghamshire seamer Olly Stone also returns to the Test squad after a three-year absence.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has chosen to stick with the same starting line-up that beat West Ham on the opening weekend. This includes Ollie Watkins, who will receive support from Morgan Rogers, John McGinn and Leon Bailey. Amadou Onana and Youri Tielemans will make up the double pivot, while Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, and Lucas Digne make up the defence in front of Emi Martinez in goal. Stay updated on all the action and analysis with our live match updates and newsletters.
After a mixed performance in pre-season so far, Aston Villa faces an uphill battle against German giants Borussia Dortmund in their final friendly before the Premier League begins. While Villa's new signings Emi Martinez and Ezri Konsa will feature, star players Ollie Watkins, Jhon Duran, and Matty Cash will not be in the squad. BVB, who finished fifth in the Bundesliga last season and reached the Champions League final, have also made some big changes in their squad, making this a highly anticipated match-up. Stay tuned for updates as our correspondent provides live coverage.
In a gripping semi-final match, England's Ollie Watkins scored a last-minute winner against the Netherlands to secure a 2-1 victory and a spot in the Euro 2024 final. Controversial VAR decisions and a possible injury for Jude Bellingham added to the drama, as England now sets their sights on a showdown with Spain this weekend. Fans can also get their hands on the new England kits, making the anticipation for the final even greater.
Ollie Watkins emerged as the unlikely hero for England as his 91st-minute goal secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over the Netherlands and a place in the European Championship final. The Aston Villa striker, who had only been on the pitch for 10 minutes, netted a sensational cross-goal finish to beat the Dutch goalkeeper and send the Three Lions through to their second consecutive European Championship final. The victory marks a historic moment for England, as they have never before reached the final of a tournament on foreign soil. Manager Gareth Southgate also becomes the first England manager to lead the men's side into two major tournament finals.