Ollie Pope’s Century Powers England to 416 on Chaotic Day

Ollie Pope’s impressive century guided England to a total of 416 on a dynamic first day of the second Test against West Indies at Trent Bridge. Pope arrived at 0-1 and scored 121 from 143 balls, benefiting from West Indies dropping him twice. He formed a crucial 105-run partnership with Ben Duckett, who blasted 71 off 59 balls before potentially leaving the match due to a family commitment. Duckett’s aggressive start saw him hit the first four legal deliveries for four but fell short of England’s fastest Test century record.

Captain Ben Stokes added 69 to the total but struggled against West Indies’ spinners Kevin Sinclair and Kavem Hodge. England ended the day chaotically, losing their last five wickets for 74 runs. West Indies missed several chances and Mark Wood narrowly avoided a stumping. Despite pushing past 400, England could have improved their position. The day marked the beginning of a new era for England, their first home Test without James Anderson and Stuart Broad since 2012.

The conditions were ideal for scoring, and while West Indies’ decision to bowl first initially seemed sound, their performance faltered with erratic pace bowling and dropped catches. England seized these opportunities, with Pope and Duckett showcasing superb strokeplay. Ollie Pope’s century ended a long dry spell for England’s top order, with his previous fifty coming in January against India. Despite West Indies dropping him on 46 and 54, Pope capitalized on his chances.

Stokes, struggling with recent poor form, showed promise with his innings. Former captain Sir Alastair Cook noted that although England’s 416 was substantial, they might have fallen a few runs short of par. Sinclair felt that West Indies had a strong day despite conceding a high total.