Ollie Pope on his Perth dismissal and whether the Gabba holds any fears for England

Ollie Pope has given the first hint England will relent on a full-on Bazball attack in Brisbane, conceding lessons had been learned from his side’s Perth batting capitulation.

England may finally be cottoning on when it comes to playing sensible Test cricket in Australian conditions, with Perth offender Ollie Pope conceding the Aussies needed to “play the percentages” after blowing a strong position in the first Test.

Crunch time has arrived for the tourists given a loss in the pink-ball clash at the Gabba will all but ensure the Ashes remains figuratively in Australian hands for another 18 months.

Only once in Test history has a team come back from 2-0 deficit to win a five-Test series, and that came 89 years ago when Don Bradman inspired Australia to claw its way back at home.

The omens are not positive for England heading into Brisbane Test given Australia has not lost an Ashes clash at the Gabba since 1986-87 and the Aussies have won all three day-night Tests against England.

Ollie Pope speaks to media in Brisbane on Tuesday.

Pope made 46 and 33 across his two innings of Australia’s eight-wicket victory at the Gabba however his dismissal in the second dig – caught behind attempting to drive on the up to Scott Boland — drew considerable scorn given that is widely accepted as a no-no when it comes to batting on bouncy Perth pitches.

For all the supposed intransigence of Bazball, Pope accepted that there were times when greater patience was required.

The England No. 3, deposed as vice-captain ahead of this tour amid uncertainty around his hold on a spot in the XI, conceded that he had been frustrated by the manner of his departure at Perth Stadium, but said he had learned from the experience.

“Oh, yeah, absolutely,” Pope said before England training on Tuesday.

“It was my first Test match there, and I was pretty clear that I knew that was the risk on that pitch. So I was that’s why I was frustrated in the second dig, to get out I like I did. But they’re lessons to take forward, and it might be similar conditions here in terms of driving on the up.

“I don’t want to just let the bowler bowl at me, but it’s just trying to play the percentages as much as I can. Everyone’s really clear on their game plans. And there’s a few lessons there, I guess, individuals would take from last week and put them into practice this week. So trying to learn the lessons, but then take some positives going forward.”

Pope said he would not completely abandon playing at deliveries hung outside off-stump but would seek to be more discerning when it came to which ones he would attack.

“I think it’s just being really precise with how you go about it. I think they can hang it out wide, but then as soon as they do miss their lengths, then it’s trying to put them under pressure there as well. So I think for me, on a personal note, I look back on that innings and the dismissal as just being that bit more precise and going about it in the same way. Having that little bit more preciseness in my in my game.”

Pope also rejected the idea that the Gabba held any fears for England despite its wretched recent record at the ground.

“I wouldn’t say fear. No, absolutely not. I mean, it’s a great stadium. I think it’s obviously a bouncy pitch. It’s just excitement going into this game.”

Paceman Mark Wood was sporting a prominent brace on his knee at training, with the veteran quick set to be unavailable for this Test after going wicketless in Perth.

Spinning all-rounder Will Jacks will replace him in the XI.