Hope urges WI teammates to find ways to score

VICE-CAPTAIN of the West Indies One Day International (ODI) team, Shai Hope, is urging his teammates to find ways to score at the Providence Stadium in Guyana, as they face Bangladesh in the second of a three-match ODI series on Wednesday.

Bangladesh registered a ninth straight ODI victory over the West Indies on Sunday, at Providence, by six wickets, in a rain-affected fixture. The second and third game (on Saturday) will be contested at Providence.

Hope was dismissed for a first-ball duck on Sunday, as the West Indies made 149/9 off 41 overs, to which Bangladesh responded with 151/4 off 31.5 overs.

In a media interview on Tuesday, Hope said, “I think conditions had a bit to play with it (on Sunday). It was a difficult pitch to start on, as a batter, but we still do need ways to score, whether it’s picking up singles (or) finding more boundary options.”

Shamarh Brooks made a painstaking 33 (66 balls, three fours) while tailender Anderson Phillip chipped in with an unbeaten 21.

Asked what the WI need to do to turn things around, Hope replied, “We’re 1-nil down so it’s important for us to put the remedy right and make sure that we find a way to tick all the boxes, to be ready for the next game (on Wednesday), and get the next two victories.”

Hope has played the role as wicketkeeper/opener batsman of the WI team for a number of years.

“I think it has a lot to do with my fitness level,” he acknowledged. “I’m sure people looking on would not realise how difficult it is on the body, to have to keep 50 overs and go out (to open the batting).”