LEEDS, England, CMC – West Indies batting hero Shai Hope said Tuesday he saw it as his duty to see the team to victory on the epic fifth and final day of the second Test against England at Headingley.
Windies started the day on five without loss chasing 322 for victory and Hope made a superb 118 not out as the visitors won under lights after another enthralling day’s play.
The win boosted the Windies hopes of redemption especially following their innings defeat inside three days in the Edgbaston first Test, and now gives them a real sniff at a series win with one match left at Lord’s.
“Someone had to do it and that someone was me. Today was my day and I felt I had to dig deep and take us home. This was a five-day battle and we gave it all we had. It was a remarkable Test match,” the 23-year-old said.
“I feel elated. We’ve worked hard as a team and we’re pleased to get over the line. I am a professional cricketer for a reason so I always believe in myself. We fought hard throughout the game, so we needed to do well with the bat.”
Hope added: “I’m just pleased to get the win. We needed this win. We fell way short in the first match so we sat down, looked at ourselves and came up with a plan on how to fight back, not just for ourselves as a team, but for the people who support us.
“We know that we came here to play and that we have the fight, the belief and the players to do it, so we just needed to go out there and execute. I was just pleased to get the win, that was the main thing, just to get us back in the series.”
It was Windies’ first Test win in England for 17 years and the highest run chase in England since Gordon Greenidge’s double century to lead the great West Indies side to victory at Lords in 1984.
Hope’s unbeaten 118 – with 14 boundaries off 211 balls – guided the Windies to an emphatic victory after they resumed the day on five without loss. This followed his first innings 147 – making him the first batsman to score two centuries in a first-class match at Headingley.
The Test was the 534th first-class match at the venue and 76th Test match.
He also became the third West Indian to achieve the feat of twin tons in a Test in England – the others coming via the legendary George Headley at Lord’s in 1939, and Gordon Greenidge at Old Trafford in 1976.
Hope shared a match-winning stand of 144 with Kraigg Brathwaite, who made 95 off 180 balls with 12 fours, to follow up his 134 in the first innings. Overall he batted for 10 hours in the match.
“Kraigg was brilliant throughout the match, he really set it up for us. In the first innings he made 134 and came back in the second innings to play another amazing knock, full credit to him,” Hope said.
“He has done it a lot for us and he’s become the rock of our batting. We played well in this match and we want to carry that momentum with us to Lord’s where we believe we can win the series.”
