Pope dominates Yorkshire to hand momentum to Surrey after early collapse

SAM MORSHEAD AT THE OVAL: By the end of the evening, he was taking Yorkshire apart with methodical ease. A backfoot punch here, a legside glance there, down on one knee more often than Jerry Lee Lewis

^{Ollie Pope made an excellent century for Surrey against Yorkshire}

The Kia Oval (first day of four): Surrey 366-7, Yorkshire

At 20 years old and with just 16 first-class innings to his name, the notion of Ollie Pope being selected for England is just a tad premature. But boy can this kid bat.

Having already hit one impressive hundred for Surrey in this year’s County Championship, Pope added a second here at the Kia Oval against a seasoned, wiley Yorkshire attack; a knock of pure chutzpah on a blustery south London afternoon.

Mixing stand-and-deliver cover drives with terrific timing off his pads, the Chelsea-born, Cranleigh School-educated batsman made sure his side retired for the night with momentum that looked scarcely achievable when they were struggling at 69 for four in the first session.

It was not faultless - Pope’s sumptuous strokeplay hides a compulsion to go after almost anything that even resembles a good length outside off stump - but how can we expect perfection from a young man with just 14 months of first-team experience?

^{Yorkshire celebrate the wicket of Dean Elgar}

By the end of the evening, he was taking Yorkshire apart with methodical ease. A backfoot punch here, a legside glance there, down on one knee more often than Jerry Lee Lewis.

It was compulsive viewing, unless you were a visiting fielder.

A stand of 129 for the seventh wicket with Rikki Clarke was the axel in Surrey’s recovery.

It was a true junior-senior, little-and-large combination. Clarke, 16 years Pope’s senior and a good seven inches taller, played the role of the aggressor, barging his way to 71 in 91 balls with an array of shots either side of the wicket, including two booming legside sixes into the OCS Stand.

And these runs were not made on a typical batsman’s delight.

At the lunch break, a gaggle of Oval patrons hovered nearby, heads tilted to one side, trying to figure out what was going on.

It looked like a cricket pitch, sure, but something wasn’t quite right. Was it ill? Jealous? Mouldy? There was more than a hint of green and that, at this venue, makes it seem like deep avocado.

Yorkshire exploited the conditions early on, finding assistance off the surface and claiming a batch of early wickets.

Mark Stoneman’s wretched start to 2018 continued when he was trapped lbw by Tim Bresnan, while Rory Burns tickled a catch to Cheteshwar Pujara at first slip off Jack Brooks.

^{Rikki Clarke made 71 for Surrey}

Scott Borthwick also edged behind and Ben Foakes got a feather on a nipper from Steven Patterson which nestled in the gloves of Jonny Bairstow.

Dean Elgar did produce some resistance, fighting through to an unbeaten 37 at lunch and moving on to a half-century in the afternoon, but having struggled against Joe Root’s spin - Bairstow missed a regulation stumping to give the South African a life - he was clean bowled by the England captain for 61 to leave the hosts 137 for five.

Sam Curran soon followed before Pope and Clarke decided Yorkshire’s fun was up.

Clarke was dropped on 16 by Pujara at first slip, moved past 10,000 first-class career runs soon after and then had Yorkshire by the lapels.

When he was eventually out, Pope - relatively vigilant until that point - felt free to open arms, by now seeing the ball in twice as big and twice as clearly despite the steadying gloom and the slow burn of the floodlights.

He finished the day unbeaten on 131.

England can wait, they must wait, at least just a little longer. But patience will surely pay off.

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