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Ollie Pope Creates World Record; Attains Rare Feat With Sublime Ton Vs Zimbabwe

Soumyajit Dutta

Ollie Pope [Source: @the_sports_x/X]Ollie Pope [Source: @the_sports_x/X]

England’s revamped Test side unleashed a blistering Bazball masterclass on the opening day of their home summer, racking up a staggering 498/3 in just 88 overs against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge. In a display of relentless aggression under Ben Stokes’ leadership, all three of England’s top-order batters notched centuries, a first-day feat that left fans and critics alike in awe. 

Amidst the crackle of bats, Ollie Pope achieved a monumental record that is the first of a kind and also wrote his name in the annals of a world record.

Pope Rewrites Record Books With 8th Test Century

The 27-year-old Surrey star smashed an electrifying 109-ball century, his eighth in Test cricket, to etch his name into cricketing lore. While Pope’s career average of 35.85 might not dazzle, his knack for No. 3 heroics now rivals England's greats. His seventh ton in the pivotal position ties with Jonathan Trott, trailing only icons Wally Hammond, Ken Barrington, and David Gower. 

However, the true marvel lies in his globetrotting dominance, Pope’s eight Test hundreds have come against eight different nations, a world-first feat. He also became just the 30th batter to score centuries against eight+ countries, with a shot at equaling the all-time record of 9 nations if he fires in this winter’s Ashes.

Root’s Quiet Coronation

Amid the carnage, Joe Root’s unbeaten 34 carried him past 13,000 Test runs, a milestone only a few players in history have scaled. Yet even the Yorkshireman’s achievement played second fiddle to Pope’s pyrotechnics. 

With England’s “festive” batting approach now a summer staple, Zimbabwe’s bowlers endured a baptism by fire, their toil overshadowed by a Trent Bridge crowd witnessing a new chapter of England’s aggressive reinvention.