THOSE in the know have been saying for two years that this lad Ollie Pope is something special.
Pope gloriously paraded all the evidence on day two of the Third Test with a majestic maiden international century. It will not be his last.
He is stylish, appears to have so much time to play the ball and possesses a full range of classic shots, plus a few unorthodox ones. And he has a calm, cool, calculating head.
The Two Popes might currently be a multi-award nominated movie but, when it comes to batting, we now have The One Pope.
He could be a fixture in Englands middle-order for a decade, a new decade Joe Root or Ian Bell, whose method he so resembles. In fact, Pope is a virtual willow-wielding duplicate of the Warwickshire player. He even has ginger hair.
At 22 years 15 days, Pope is the eighth-youngest man to score a Test century for England. The names above him are a whos who of legends – including Denis Compton, Len Hutton, Peter May, Colin Cowdrey, David Gower and Alastair Cook.
Pope helped Ben Stokes in a partnership of 203 for the fifth wicket and, once he reached three figures, he had some serious fun, largely at the expense of Kasigo Rabada.
DECLARED TWICE
Pope twice reverse hit Rabada for four and then hoisted him over fine leg for six. With Mark Wood launching five sixes during a joyous cameo of 42 from just 23 balls, South Africa looked a dejected rabble by the time Root declared on 499-9.
Root actually declared twice because he waved in the players at 467-9 when Wood skied a catch. But replays showed that Rabada had overstepped, so Root beckoned his batsmen out for a few more swings of the blade.
A rare case of a captain un-declaring.
What with his ban for the next Test, it was not the happiest day for Rabada, a magnificent bowler who will be badly missed by the Proteas in Johannesburg.
Stokes was pretty damn impressive, too, as you would expect from a player intent on making this year almost as memorable as his annus mirabilis in 2019.
He scored his ninth Test century, went past 4,000 Test runs and took another stride towards all-time great status.
By the close, South Africa reached 60-2 in their first innings with spinner Dom Bess snaring both wickets – Pieter Malan caught and bowled and Zubayr Hamza held at short leg.
Wood inflicted plenty of pain with a nasty blow to opener Dean Elgars left arm and he made Hamza leap around before he fell at the other end.
Stokes and Pope extended their overnight stand into the afternoon session and transformed Englands fortunes from 148-4.
Stokes once slog-swept so hard that the six sailed out of the ground and a new ball had to be called for.
His century was marked with what is becoming his trademark celebration – curling inwards the middle finger of his right hand to look as though it is missing. It is a tribute to his dad, Gad, who had the same digit amputated in order to prolong his rugby league career.
The gesture is especially poignant right now, of course, because Ged remains in hospital in Johannesburg after his serious illness.
RETALIATION FOR ‘KN*BHEAD’ OUTBURST
Stokes was eventually caught in the gully for 120 and Jos Buttler, who received a right earful from Vernon Philander in retaliation for his f****** kn*bhead outburst in Cape Town, tamely tapped back a return catch.
Buttlers batting in the Test arena continues to disappoint.
Sam Curran provided an acceleration with 44 from 60 deliveries but Bess was snaffled at silly point. His scores in this series are 0, 0 and 1.
Pope was given out lbw on 74 but a review revealed the ball was missing the stumps.
He reached his hundred with a delicious clip to the mid-wicket boundary. Were going to see that shot a few times in the years to come.
So Dom Sibley and now Pope who have scored maiden centuries in the last two Tests. Encouraging progress for the new generation of England batsmen.
Pope and Wood then whacked 73 for the ninth wicket in little more than eight overs. A grin rarely left Woods face as he launched the ball into the stands and Pope also displayed his sense of adventure.
He finished 135 not out – the exact score Stokes made in his historic innings against Australia at Headingley last summer.
As omens go, they dont get much better than that.
