Pope Shines with Seventh Test Century Amid Weather Woes

England captain Ollie Pope scored a commanding unbeaten 103, leading his team to 221-3 on a rain-affected first day of the final test against Sri Lanka at The Oval. Despite early setbacks, Pope’s determined performance and Duckett's valuable 86 have set the stage for a competitive match.

England captain Ollie Pope scored an unbeaten 103 on the first, rain-affected day of the final test against Sri Lanka at The Oval. This marks Pope's seventh test century, a crucial innings under significant pressure following a series of low scores.

The day began with England being put to bat under gloomy skies. Early in the innings, they lost Dan Lawrence for just five runs, another disappointing outing for the batsman. However, Ben Duckett stabilized the innings with a fluent 86, though his efforts were eventually curtailed by bad light.

Pope's resolve shone through as he continued to build a solid partnership despite interruptions. His century came off a crisp drive to the cover boundary, celebrated passionately by teammates and fans alike. The umpires halted play again due to poor light, setting the stage for an interesting continuation of play.

(With inputs from agencies.)