OLLIE POPE believes he is more prepared than ever for the hostility of an Ashes series, which gets under way in Perth on Friday, after fighting hard for his England place for the past year.

The intensity of the occasion cannot be underestimated, but Pope feels the constant speculation he has been subjected to will stand him in good stead.

“It’s been good for me to have learned that under the most pressure, I’ve been able to deliver,” he said.

“Everyone wants to be the first name on the team sheet, that’s pretty clear, but at the same time we’re playing international sport.

“I’ve got to remind myself of that at times, that there’s always going to be someone on your heels if you haven’t quite scored the volume of runs that you would have liked.

“I’ll try and use the pressures that I’m under and make sure I get the best out of myself.”