Yorkshire has signed West Indies batter Shai Hope for the first three games of the County Championship. The 29-year-old will make his debut in Thursday’s opening game of the Division Two season against Leicestershire. Hope became the first player to hit two centuries in the same first-class match at Headingley when he did so for West Indies against England in 2017.
The 29-year-old West Indies ODI Captain, who also provides an option as a wicketkeeper, will cover for Yorkshire club captain Shan Masood whose arrival has been delayed after being called up for Pakistan’s limited-over series against New Zealand. With five T20Is and five ODIs, Masood may only be available from the middle of May.
They had also signed New Zealand’s Neil Wagner for their first ten County Championship fixtures but the left-arm quick was ruled out of his stint after tearing his hamstring during the Test series with Sri Lanka. An attempt to sign Pakistani batter Saud Shakeel has also been delayed because of visa issues.
As such, the acquisition of Hope is a welcome boost on the eve of Yorkshire’s season opener against Leicestershire at home. He has fond memories of playing at Headingley, after becoming the first player to score two hundred in a first-class match at the ground when West Indies beat England there in August 2017. After scoring 147 in the first innings, he finished 118 not out in the second, leading his side to a successful chase of 322 for a famous five-wicket win.
He arrives straight from the Caribbean, having only just returned home from West Indies’ ODI series against South Africa which finished 1-1. Hope’s 128 not out in the second ODI earned him the Player-of-the-series award.
Yorkshire’s managing director, Darren Gough, believes Hope will add “so much experience” to the batting line-up but did concede it would be a fast turnaround for the batter, who was playing ODI cricket for West Indies in South Africa at the back-end of March.
Hope will feature in Yorkshire’s season opener against Leicestershire, starting April 6.
“He is a great signing. He brings so much experience – one thing we are lacking is just a little bit of experience so he just gives us that and comes into the squad for this first game.”
“We felt we needed just the one experienced face in and we went for Shai. He has been playing well for the West Indies in one-day matches, he has got a record of playing Test cricket – he had his two hundred at Headingley before for the West Indies.”
“Hope has literally just got home a few days ago so it is a straight turnaround. He will have to adjust to playing red ball, from the white ball but he is a fantastic player and it’s good to have someone of his quality to come in at short notice for three games.”