England in South Africa: Ollie Pope is recovered and ready for second Test

Ollie Pope says he is “ready to go” if selected for England’s second Test against South Africa which starts on Friday.

The Surrey batsman has recovered from the illness which ruled him out of the first-Test defeat in Centurion.

The sickness has now affected 11 players in the camp.

Pope, who hit his first century for England in a warm-up game against South Africa A earlier in December, says his game is in a “good place”.

“It’s not really my shout, but if I get the nod I’ll be ready to go,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

Opener Dominic Sibley is the latest England player to be affected by illness on the tour.

Pope, Chris Woakes and Jack Leach missed the opening 107-run defeat, while captain Joe Root, Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes spent time off the field.

Stuart Broad and Jofra Archer missed both warm-up games, and Joe Denly and Mark Wood have also been ill.

But Pope says he has been feeling better since the weekend.

“It couldn’t have come at a worse time really with the Test match but luckily I’m feeling alright now,” he said.

“I was more feverish and for the first two days I just stayed in bed. I probably caught it off Broad and Jofra, but there’s been a few different symptoms flying about.

“It’s not ideal, but that stuff happens, it swept through pretty much the whole of camp.”

England fly to Cape Town on Tuesday with Craig Overton and Dom Bess remaining with the squad after being called up as cover.