Ollie Pope feared being dropped before high-class hundred for England

Ollie Pope backed up England’s belief in him with a high-class hundred in the second LV= Insurance Test against New Zealand, but admitted he was fearing the worst when he took a call last month from new coach Brendon McCullum.

Pope was elated to put two years of indifferent form behind him, making 145 as England piled on 383 runs on day three at Trent Bridge.

With Joe Root also unfurling 163 not out, his 27th ton and second in a row since relinquishing the captaincy, all three results remain on the table with the hosts 80 behind on 473 for five.

Whatever the final outcome, the impact this game could have on Pope may well be profound.

He has long been seen as the brightest English talent of his generation but has too often struggled to replicate his dominant county performances on the biggest stage. Such were his recent struggles, he was braced for bad news when McCullum first made contact.

Instead, he received an unexpected promotion to number three.

“I was down in Cornwall having a few days away on the coast when I got a call from a number I didn’t recognise. It was Baz (McCullum) on the phone,” he said.

“I wasn’t expecting amazing news at the time, but he said ‘you’re going to be in the squad’. I remember having a little celebration with my dog – I think I gave her a first bump – and then he said ‘you’re going to bat three as well’.

It was a decision that drew raised eyebrows given Pope’s lack of top-order experience at county level and his previous inability to post consistent scores further down. A double failure at Lord’s in his first attempt last week only raised the stakes but he delivered on the hunch to play a major role in Sunday’s fightback.

McCullum and captain Ben Stokes have preached positive cricket since