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Mark Waugh insults Ollie Pope as ‘just a player’ moments before Mitchell Starc proves him right: ‘He is their weakness’
Mark Waugh wasn't too big on Ollie Pope, and Mitchell Starc's dismissal of the England batter explained why.
Legendary Australia batter Mark Waugh pulled a page out of Ricky Ponting’s book by predicting Ollie Pope’s fate the moment before he was dismissed on Day 1 of the 2nd Ashes Test in Brisbane. The pink-ball Test, which made its way to the Gabba for the first time since Australia’s 2024 defeat to West Indies, is an Aussie special, but has given England some respite after their one-sided defeat in the Ashes opener last month. They were 98/2 at the tea interval with Joe Root and Zak Crawley holding fort, a remarkable recovery given they were 5/0 at one stage, with Ben Duckett and Pope sent back for ducks by the one and only Mitchell Starc.
Pope’s wicket, however, was quite something. Moments before Starc cleaned him up, Waugh, on commentary, said he wasn’t too big on Pope and referred to him as ‘just a player’. The remark was a little frowned upon but Waugh explained why he feels so.
“There is a bit of a question mark over his spot in the team. They’ve been talking about [Jacob] Bethell a little bit. Maybe coming at 3, so it looked tough in Perth,” Waugh said. A fellow commentator threw some numbers towards Waugh when he said, “12 months of Test cricket coming into last week, he was averaging 42. Not sure where that negativity is coming from,” but Waugh refrained from budging from his stance. “I think he’s just another player. I think he is their weakness at No. 3. Not saying he is a bad player, but I think at this level, against good bowling, he’s got a little bit to prove.”
Watch the video below:
And right next ball, Starc castled Pope
“Do I need to say anymore,” quipped Waugh, before Brad Haddin chipped in. “Well, you’re right, Mark. He hasn’t learned from the first Test match. He could have left that ball; played away from his body. Big inside edge.”
Pope has come under the scanner. After scoring back-to-back centuries in May-June this year – 171 vs Zimbabwe and 106 against India, Pope has scored just one half-century. Runs were tough to come by at The Hundred before Pope scored twin fifties for Surrey and then prepped up for the Ashes with a 100 and 90 for the England Lions. Even in Perth, Pope got starts in both innings, scoring 46 and 33, but technical flaws have led to criticism more so, as Waugh pointed out, with Bethell breathing down his neck for the No. 3 position. Besides, that Pope was also removed as vice-captain and replaced by Harry Brook hasn’t helped the cause.
