TOP SPIN AT THE TEST: Ollie Pope beats Ian Botham’s 21-year record, Joe Root hits 11,000 Test runs

TOP SPIN AT THE TEST: Ollie Pope beats Ian Botham’s 21-year record, Joe Root becomes just the 11th player to reach 11,000 runs in Test cricket and Ben Duckett gets one over Don Bradman with run-a-ball 150 at Lord’s

England ended day two at Lord’s in an extremely comfortable position, having declared on 524 for the loss of just four wickets in a high-scoring day in north London. 

The bulk of those runs came from Ollie Pope – who hit the second fastest ever double-century by an English batter, second only to captain Ben Stokes – and Ben Duckett who scored 182. 

Josh Tongue came into the attack at first change and delivered three wickets for England to get his Test career well and truly off the mark. 

The visitors made little progress in hunting down the 352 runs they needed to break even, losing three wickets and seeing James McCollum retire hurt. 

Here, Mail Sport’s Lawrence Booth takes you through some of the best stats from another thrilling day at Lord’s. 

England have put themselves in a very comfortable position after another dominant day

England took another three wickets after their mammoth innings to leave Ireland on 97 for three

England took another three wickets after their mammoth innings to leave Ireland on 97 for three

Ollie Pope’s maiden Test double-century came from 207 balls – the fastest in a Test in England, beating Ian Botham’s 220-ball blitz against India at The Oval in 1982. 

It was the second-fastest for England anywhere, after Ben Stokes took only 163 balls against South Africa at Cape Town in 2015-16, and the seventh-fastest in all Tests.

Joe Root became the 11th to reach 11,000 Test runs, and the second for England, behind Alastair Cook, who has 12,472.

Ben Duckett broke Don Bradman’s record for the fastest Test 150 at Lord’s, getting there at exactly a run a ball. 

Bradman had taken 166 to reach the mark in 1930 – a figure equalled on Friday by Pope.

England’s 524 for four declared from 82.4 overs came at a run-rate of 6.33 – the first time that a Test innings in this country of longer than 25 overs has proceeded at quicker than a run a ball.

England have enjoyed only two higher second-wicket stands at Lord’s than the 252 put on by Duckett and Pope. 

Joe Root became just the second English man - and 11th ever - to reach 11,000 runs in Tests

Joe Root became just the second English man – and 11th ever – to reach 11,000 runs in Tests

England have only ever enjoyed two more fruitful second-wicket partnerships than that of Duckett (left) and Pope against Ireland

England have only ever enjoyed two more fruitful second-wicket partnerships than that of Duckett (left) and Pope against Ireland 

In 2004, Andrew Strauss and Rob Key added 291 against West Indies, and the following summer Marcus Trescothick and Michael Vaughan managed 255 against Bangladesh.

Pope became the seventh England batsman to score 2,000 Test runs before the age of 26, after Peter May, David Gower, Mike Atherton, Ian Bell, Alastair Cook and Joe Root.

This is the first time since Madras in 1984-85 that each of England’s first three wickets have added at least 100 in the same innings. 

Back then, Graeme Fowler and Tim Robinson began with a stand of 178, followed by 241 between Fowler and Mike Gatting, then 144 between Gatting and Allan Lamb.



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