Ashes 2023: Officials asking Ollie Pope to field despite shoulder injury leave everyone 'angry & bewildered'

The match officials denying England to bring on a substitute fielder for injured Ollie Pope and, instead, forcing the number 3 batter to remain on the field on day three of Lord's Test despite him suffering a shoulder injury has angered the English camp.

Speaking to the media after the day’s play, England spin-bowling coach Jeetan Patel, like many others, was unsure of what happened in that situation and said the team is yet to receive an official word from the umpires.

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On day one of the ongoing Test, Pope suffered a shoulder injury while fielding but came out to bat at his regular position in the first innings, scoring 42 from 63 balls. During the 18th over in Australia’s second innings, Pope reaggravated the injury and was expected to leave the field.

However, that didn’t happen, as the umpires forced the right-handed batter to the field, else England was offered to play with 10 players only on field, a decision that didn’t sit well with the hostcamp.

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Although the umpires termed his initial injury external, they labelled Pope’s recent injury as the fresh one, and he will be able to bat at number 3 if he’s fit.

"We're a bit bewildered by it all," Jeetan Patel said. "It's a bit confusing. We assumed that he was asked that he had to be back out on the field or we would have to field with 10 men. And that made no sense to us."

"It's a pretty tough situation when you nearly bust your shoulder, and you're told it was an external [injury]. It was always going to happen. He's so committed to this team. He was always going to fall on something. And now he's back off."

"It's a bit messy if I'm being honest with you. We're probably as frustrated as everyone else that was out there that saw what happened, and he's probably more angry at the situation than anything else,” he added.

Pope will bat at 3, ensures Patel

With Australia in the driver’s seat as things stand, unless England trigger a collapse early on day four, they would be up for a huge target in the fourth innings. Patel, on Pope, said the right-hander would bat at his same position and being a responsible batter and a vice-captain, Pope will also help the other batters settle down.

"He is sore, but he should be okay," Patel said. "He's never going to turn down an opportunity to bat for England, and with an opportunity to win a game, I can't see Ollie Pope saying no to that. He's grown since he's come into the team, with the responsibility of being vice-captain, but also the support of the other batters around him. I think he'll see it as an opportunity to take this game on."

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