Hope takes on Yorkshire challenge

LEEDS (CMC):

YORKSHIRE MANAGING director Darren Gough hailed the signing of West Indies One-day International captain Shai Hope on a short-term overseas contract for the start of the English County Championship, starting today.

Yorkshire announced yesterday that Hope, 29, will be available for its first three English County Championship matches, beginning with the season opener against Leicestershire on home soil at Headingley.

Gough, the former England pacer, said Hope was a great signing for the club, which is aiming to return to Division 1 of the championship after they were relegated last season.

“He is a great signing,” Gough said. “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.”

Hope will have fond memories of Headingley, where six years ago he became the first player to score two hundreds in the same first-class match while playing for West Indies against hosts England.

Hope scored 147 and 118 not out, and West Indies pulled off a remarkable victory in the first day-night Test staged in England.

“We felt we needed just the one experienced face in and we went for Shai,” Gough added.

“He has been playing well for West Indies in one-day matches, he has got a record of playing Test cricket – he had his two hundreds at Headingley before for the West Indies.”

Hope returned home only a few days ago from playing for West Indies against hosts South Africa in a three-match ODI series, which his side lost – but Gough said he grabbed the opportunity to come to the club, where his coach will be former Barbados and West Indies all-rounder, Ottis Gibson.