Ashes: England dealt huge blow as Ollie Pope is ruled OUT of series with injury

England vice-captain Ollie Pope has been ruled out of the rest of the Ashes after dislocating his right shoulder during the second match of the LV= International Series at Lord’s last week.

Pope injured his shoulder after landing awkwardly in the field when diving just after lunch on Day One.

He tried to fight on and batted in both innings, scoring 42 in the first and three in the second.

Pope was even bizarrely forced to field at the start of Australia’s second innings as officials warned him he would be unable to bat higher than No 7 otherwise.

Scans in London on Monday then revealed the full extent of the injury and he will miss the rest of the summer campaign and will require surgery, the ECB confirmed.

Ollie Pope has been ruled out of the rest of the Ashes after dislocating his right shoulder

England’s vice-captain picked up the injury on Day One when he landed awkwardly in the field

Essex’s Dan Lawrence is the spare batsman in the squad and looks set to replace his future Surrey team-mate for the pivotal third Test against Australia in Leeds starting on Thursday.

Lawrence – who is set to join Surrey ahead of next season – has played 11 Tests in his career.

However, he hasn’t featured since England’s dismal tour of the West Indies in March 2022, but is believed to be well-liked by Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.

He averages 29 with the bat and has racked up four half-centuries, with his highest score being the 91 he made against the West Indies in Barbados.

Lawrence – who was also the spare batter for England’s tour to New Zealand in the winter – looked in fine form in his most recent first-class game against Warwickshire last week, hitting a breathtaking 152 at an impressive strike rate of more than 65.

Essex batter Dan Lawrence (left) looks set to replace Pope for the third Test at Headingley

Lawrence has played 11 Tests for England, with a top score of 91 against the West Indies

The batter has 491 runs at an average of 44.63 in six County Championship Division One games this season. 

Elsewhere, England are considering a recall for off-spinner Moeen Ali for the third Test at Headingley while Mark Wood and Chris Woakes are also in the selection equation.

Legendary bowler James Anderson has struggled so far, picking up only three wickets at an average of 75.33, while one of Ollie Robinson or Stuart Broad may also be rotated after two hard-fought Tests that have gone the full five days.

Josh Tongue impressed at Lord’s after coming into the side with Wood not deemed fully-fit, picking up five wickets across the game, but he could also make way in Leeds.