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Ollie Pope

Playing Role - Right-Hand Bat and Wicketkeeper
County - England, Surrey and London Spirit
Date of Birth - 02/01/1998

Ollie Pope was identified as a young player of great promise at SURREY, rising through the age-group sides to make his first-class debut in all three formats in 2017. It was in his second season where he shot into the national conversation scoring 986 runs at an average of 70.42 to help Surrey end a 16-year wait for a County Championship title, something they have since achieved twice more.

Ollie is now well established as a major run getter in the county game, averaging a shade under 50 with 19 hundreds to his name – including a career-best 274 against Glamorgan in 2020, as well as a number of eye-catching performances in the white ball formats.

Ollie’s prolific form soon caught the eye of the ENGLAND selectors, and he made his Test Match debut in the summer of 2018 against India, aged just 20. It was however the following year, on the 2019 / 20 tour of South Africa, when his promise translated from county to country.

He first hit an unbeaten 61 to help England level the series in Cape Town, before producing a memorable maiden Test century – full of industry and innovation – with 135 not out in the victory in Port Elizabeth. It was on this tour where he also emerged as a sharp short leg fielder, a role he has since become synonymous with. He has also put these catching skills to good use while keeping wicket for England, both in New Zealand in 2019 and Pakistan in 2022.

After a period away from the team, Ollie returned in the summer of 2022, calling the newly-appointed captain Ben Stokes to request to bat in the vacant number three position. He made a sparkling 145 in the second Test Match of the summer, establishing himself in the role. In the summer of 2023, he was appointed vice-captain and went on to break the record for the quickest double century in England with a score of 205 from 207 balls against Ireland. His appetite for major contributions stretched across to the sub-continent, where in the winter of 2024 he scored a majestic 196 to help England to an unlikely victory in Hyderabad.

 

(Profile updated 22/03/24)