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Ollie Pope Not to Field on Day 2 of Lord's Test, Here's The Reason Why?

image-ljgwm644Ollie Pope injured his right shoulder (AP Photo)

In what comes as a major setback, England vice-captain and number batter 3, Ollie Pope, is expected to remain absent from the field on the second day of the high-octane second Ashes 2023 Test at Lord’s in London.


Ollie Pope's fielding spell on Day 1 was cut short by a shoulder injury

While his absence from the field is a huge blow, the hosts would be relieved knowing that the England vice-captain will be available to bat in the first innings.

Pope's unfortunate injury occurred in an attempt to prevent a boundary. Diving valiantly to thwart the advancing ball, he grasped his right shoulder in discomfort which forced him to retreat from the action.

The unfortunate incident took place on the fifth delivery of the 28th over during the Australian innings, when Marnus Labuschagne manoeuvred a delivery from Josh Tongue, aiming to find the gap for a boundary.

The England Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed Ollie Pope’s injury via their official Twitter account, revealing that the talented batter had been compelled to leave the field due to an injury to his right shoulder and the medical team was ascertaining the extent of the damage incurred by the 25-year-old.

Meanwhile, as per a recent report by Daily Mail, it appears increasingly unlikely that Pope will be able to resume his fielding duties on Thursday (June 29), regardless of the severity of the injury to his right shoulder.

This drab development comes as a piteous reminder of Pope's previous struggles with his left shoulder, which had previously side-lined him for a considerable period. 

The Englishman had dislocated his left shoulder during the final Test match against Pakistan in 2020 which led to a lengthy absence from cricketing action. Unfortunately, the talented player now finds himself grappling with discomfort in his right shoulder.

Pope's absence from the field will undoubtedly be felt, as his field presence has proved pivotal to England's fortunes in the past. It will be intriguing to see whether Pope takes the field to bat and whether he can play without experiencing any discomfort.