Ollie Pope Becomes First Batter in Test History to Achieve Rare Feat With Century Against Sri Lanka

Add as a preferred source on Google

England's stand-in skipper Ollie Pope on Friday (September 6) achieved a rare feat as he went on to become the first batter in history of Test cricket to score his first seven centuries against different opposition.

Playing his 49th Test match, Pope's historic century put England in command on the opening day of the third Test against Sri Lanka at The Oval, where he scored an unbeaten 103 runs off 103 balls to take the hosts to 221/3 at stumps.

Pope shared a 95-run stand with Ben Duckett (86 off 79 balls) before another partnership of 51 with Joe Root, and 30 with Harry Brook to complete his milestone of scoring a century against seven different oppositions.

Pope scored the first of seven centuries in January 2020 against South Africa in Gqeberha, where he scored an unbeaten 135, batting at No.6. This was the only century Pope made outside his regular No.3 position.

His next century came two years later against New Zealand in Nottingham in January 2022, when he scored 145. He then scored his third Test hundred a few months later in December 2022 with a brisk knock of 108 off 104 balls against Pakistan in Rawalpindi.

The fourth century was converted into a big one and came six months later when he scored 205 off 208 balls against Ireland at Lord's in June 2023. In January 2024, Pope played one of the best innings by a visiting batter on Indian soil, scoring 196 runs against India in Hyderabad.

Pope's sixth Test century was in July 2024, when he scored 121 runs against the West Indies in Nottingham. With the latest ton against Sri Lanka at The Oval, Pope completed his seven centuries against seven different Test-playing nations, a rare achievement in cricket history.

The century against Sri Lanka also meant that Pope had only not scored a hundred against Australia, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Afghanistan the only other Test-playing nations so far. While he has faced Australia, Pope has not faced the other three in Tests so far in his career.

Ollie Pope Test Centuries List

• 135 vs South Africa in 2020 (Gqeberha)
• 145 vs New Zealand in June 2022 (Nottingham)
• 108 vs Pakistan in December 2022 (Rawalpindi)
• 205 vs Ireland in June 2023 (Lord's)
• 196 vs India in January 2024 (Hyderabad)
• 121 vs West Indies in July 2024 (Nottingham)
• 103* vs Sri Lanka in September 2024 (London)