ENG vs SL | Twitter reacts as Pope can’t believe his good fortune after surviving by hair's breadth twice

ByArijit Kundu, SportsCafe Editor

09/07/2024

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‌There’s a saying that fortune favours the brave. Certainly, Ollie Pope’s bravery in shutting the criticism with a ton in the third Test was well backed by divine intervention as the England captain survived marginal decisions twice in the morning session of the third Test at the Kennington Oval.

Sri Lankan captain Dhananjaya de Silva employed an all-in pace attack in the morning session of the third Test against Harry Brook and Ollie Pope. Despite luck favouring the pair, Brook fell in the 53rd over leaving Pope accompanied by Jamie Smith. To release pressure off the new batter, Pope tried to seek run-scoring opportunities and in the process was lucky to survive twice in the same over.

In order to rotate the pacers, Sri Lanka opted for a double bowling change with Lahiru Kumara and Vishwa Fernando taking responsibilities from either ends. The second ball of the 58th over saw the latter bowl a good length ball that jagged a tad in to beat Pope’s intended whip and thud his pad. While onfield umpire Chris Gaffaney ruled the English skipper out, a batting review overturned the decision as the ball pitched outside the leg stump by a hair’s breadth.

Two balls later, Pope came down the track to drive a length delivery at the fourth stump but got a think inside edge onto the pad en route to the boundary ropes. The white cherry marginally rolled over the bails situated between the middle and leg stump grooves. Pope could not believe how lucky he was and sighed a releif after back-to-back survivals in the same over, sending the Twitterverse into a frenzy.

Review saved him

pic.twitter.com/vx6u5rgUJf
— Gill Bill (@bill_gill76078) September 7, 2024

Again

pic.twitter.com/odm2W0gYmT
— Gill Bill (@bill_gill76078) September 7, 2024

Why is that?

How was Ollie Pope’s LBW review not umpires call? #ENGvSL #bbccricket
— Graham Cooper (@GmanIOW) September 7, 2024

Statpadding

Ollie pope statpdding on highways in the name of bazball

These runs of joe root and pope should not be counted anywhere
— आचार्य चवनप्राश (@deshsarvprath) September 7, 2024

Picking up

Ollie pope picking up from where he left 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Dkx9swyDB8
— THIRD MAN 👨‍⚖️ (@cricupdatesonX) September 7, 2024

Doing it tonight

Ollie Pope and Jamie Smith should do the lottery tonight!
— Karl Seed ⚡️ (@KarlSeed29) September 7, 2024

Mixing up

Ollie #Pope still mixing fine shots with false ones – top edges, inside edges, slashes through the slips. He's well on his way to the worst 150 you'll ever see#ENGvSL
— Tim de Lisle (@TimdeLisle) September 7, 2024

Great escape

Tiny margin to escape with, pitching outside Leg saves Ollie Pope, the English media were going gaga for same Dismissal of Joe Root against Ashwin in February this year.#ENGvSL
— Abhijeet ♞ (@TheYorkerBall) September 7, 2024

Half in, half out

Just watched the review of Ollie Pope LBW. Not out as not pitched in line. Half the ball in, other half out. Hard on the bowler that.

Then the flash past leg stump 2 balls later. How'd that miss?

Pope should by a lottery ticket tonight.#ENGvSL
— Iain McGuigan (@IainMcGuigan) September 7, 2024

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