Ollie Pope scored 103 on his return to his home ground at The Oval, forming a mammoth partnership with Jamie Smith, in Surrey's County Championship fixture against Leicestershire.
Ollie Pope and Jamie Smith hit centuries in 200-run partnership
Leicestershire sent in Surrey to bat in what was the latter’s first home game of the season. Dom Sibley departed in the second over of the match, bringing Smith to the crease. The England Test wicketkeeper was fresh off a century in the second innings of their season opener, having made a surprise move to No.3.
Match 16, Surrey vs Leicestershire
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Surrey were 42-2 after captain Rory Burns was caught at midwicket to bring Pope to the crease alongside his England teammate. The duo went about resurrecting the innings, together adding 200 runs for the third wicket while also completing their respective centuries. Pope was eventually dismissed for 103, falling to Ajaz Patel.
Pope endured a tough Ashes over the winter, scoring just 125 runs in six innings at 20.83, with a top score of 46, before he was dropped for the final two Tests of the series and replaced by Jacob Bethell. This was also his first 50+ score in first-class cricket since Surrey's Championship fixture against Warwickshire in September last year. His last hundred in first-class cricket came during the first Test of the five-match series against India in June 2025.
In the opening round of the 2026 season last week, Pope made 20 and 16 in the first and second innings respectively, batting at No.4 following Smith's promotion to No.3. Smith scored a match-saving century in the second innings of that match, finishing with 132.
An hour before the close of play on Day One at The Oval, Smith had reached 154 not out, batting alongside Ben Foakes.
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