Recalled West Indies batsman, Shai Hope, has targeted making a solid start on his return to Test cricket ahead of the team’s series against South Africa, which bowls off on Thursday.
The 27-year-old batsman last played for the red ball team in July of last year, after being dropped for a poor run of form in Test cricket ahead of the New Zealand series, in November of last year.
After taking the time off to focus on a few technical inconsistencies and fine-tuning his mental approach, Hope was selected as part of a final 13-man squad for the upcoming Test series earlier this week.
The batsman impressed selectors with his performance in the West Indies Best vs Best practice match, where he scored 79 in the first innings and 104 in the second. In addition to that, he also made 68 in a practice match against Sri Lanka earlier this year. The player is hoping that kind of form translates if he takes the pitch for the upcoming series.
“I want to be clearer in my thought processes and obviously, achieve overall success. I’m trying to turn over a new leaf and start a fresh book, so hopefully, I can hit the ground running if I get a chance to go out there,” Hope told members of the media.
“Cricket covers different aspects, both technical and mental. So, I have been working on different things. The main thing is just to get success out there and I believe in finding a way. I just need to find a way to score runs for the team.”
de Kock plunders 115 as Royals defeat Amazon Warriors to go top of CPL standings
Quinton de Kock pummelled Guyana Amazon Warriors with a brilliant century as Barbados Royals recorded a 32-run victory at Kensington Oval on Saturday to move to the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League's (CPL) top spot.
After the Warriors elected to bowl, de Kock dominated the Royals' total of 205-6 and batted almost through the innings to compile an outstanding 115 off 68 balls.
Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj claimed three wickets as the Warriors finished well short on 173-5 to slump to their first loss of the season.
After a heartbreaking two-wicket defeat to Trinbago Knight Riders the night earlier, the Royals rejigged their batting order with Kadeem Alleyne replacing Rahkeem Cornwall.
Alleyne enjoyed the promotion and monstered a couple of massive sixes, including off Moeen Ali who made his CPL debut. But his whirlwind 22 off nine balls ended in the third over when he holed out to quick Dwaine Pretorius.
After a cautious start, de Kock took over with a calculated assault on Shamar Joseph in the seventh over. But Joseph, desperate to rediscover his best form, hit back after striking de Kock on the body in a painful blow.
The South African shook off the discomfort and rolled to his half-century off 34 balls. He particularly enjoyed hitting straight down the ground, highlighted by smacking a slower delivery back over the head of left-arm seamer Raymon Reifer.
Wickets fell around de Kock, who appeared to be batting on a different surface as he reached his century off 60 balls. He joined Evin Lewis as the only batters to hit a ton so far in this season's CPL.
De Kock hit a couple of more sixes before falling with three balls left in the innings. After struggling with the ball at the death against the Knight Riders, a determined Jason Holder smashed three sixes in a row in the penultimate over off seamer Keemo Paul.
Holder's mood continued to brighten after he claimed Warriors opener Azam Khan with his first delivery in the second over. The Warriors' chase stuttered when a frustrated Tim Robinson was stumped after being deceived by a flighted delivery from Maharaj.
Shimron Heytmeyer started with consecutive sixes off Maharaj and then smashed another one into the crowd on the resumption from a one-hour rain delay.
But Maharaj exacted revenge by enticing a false shot from Hetmyer in the ninth over as the Warriors' chase fell away despite cameos from Moeen, Paul and captain Shai Hope.
The Royals moved to 4-1 and replaced the Warriors (3-1) at the top of the table.
Hosein shines with bat and ball to lead TKR to last-ball win over Barbados Royals
Terrance Hinds smashed a six off the penultimate delivery as Trinbago Knight Riders ended Barbados Royals’ unbeaten record in the 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) after a nerve-jangling two-wicket victory at Kensington Oval on Friday.
Chasing 157, the Knight Riders needed 11 runs off the final over and appeared headed for defeat when Akeal Hosein fell off the third delivery with six runs still required.
But Jason Holder bowled a waist high full toss and on the subsequent delivery Hinds whacked a six down the ground off the free hit. The Knight Riders now move alongside the Royals with a 3-1 record.
The Royals had struggled to handle Knight Riders’ spinners and managed to post 156/7 thanks to an unbeaten 59 from 38 balls from skipper Rovman Powell.
The Knight Riders, last year’s finalists, elected to field and looked to continue their dominance over the Royals having beaten them twice last season.
The Royals made a disastrous start when opener Rahkeem Cornwall made his third straight duck after falling off the second delivery of the innings. Hosein struck again just two balls later when he trapped Alick Athanaze for a duck.
Quinton de Kock and Rivaldo Clarke consolidated before the South African was knocked over by a perfect wrong’un from Waqar Salamkheil to halt the Royals, who soon lost Holder for a duck.
The Royals struggled for boundaries in the middle overs before David Miller collared Hosein with a massive six over extra cover in the 13th over. Miller’s cameo ended at the hands of Salamkheil, who finished with a superb 3/13.
Powell had little of the strike before taking over with a slew of sixes, including off seamer Jayden Seales in the last over to reach his half-century in style.
The Knight Riders, who had strategised chasing amid dewy conditions, similarly had a poor start when Sunil Narine holed out to spinner Maheesh Theekshana on the first ball.
Opener Jason Roy started with a couple of glorious drives before being bamboozled by Theekshana to leave the contest delicately poised. After a brief rain delay, Shaqkere Parris was dropped on nine by Holder off Theekshana as Nicholas Pooran took control to steady the Knight Riders.
But his breezy 23-ball 35 ended with a spectacular double act in the deep when Powell caught the ball before flicking it to Holder just before he went over the boundary.
Parris had support from Keacy Carty as the Knight Riders appeared well on track needing 51 off 36 balls. The reintroduction of Theekshana in the 15th over did the trick as he lured Parris into a false shot triggering a collapse from the Knight Riders.
It set up a grandstand finish until Hinds’ late heroics stunned the local fans.
Livingstone rallies for England to level Australia series
Liam Livingstone plundered an impressive 87 from 47 balls to propel England to a three-wicket victory and level their three-match T20I series against Australia.
Australia had put themselves in a strong position to take the series in their 200th men's T20I, but had no answer for Livingstone during England's chase.
Travis Head and Matt Short opened with a 52-run partnership, but Adil Rashid bowled the former before catching out the latter to end their stand.
Jake Fraser-McGurk (50) and Josh Inglis (42) pushed the tourists forward, but Livingstone (2-16) and Brydon Carse (2-26), in for the rested Jofra Archer, soon stalled their progress.
Aaron Hardie's late burst of 20 gave Australia a strong tally of 193-6, and they started strongly with the ball, too.
Short (5-22) ended Phil Salt's stand at 39 before Will Jacks (12) and Jordan Cox (0) were both dismissed by Sean Abbott in a single over.
But Livingstone would prove a thorn in Australia's side once again as he hit his half-century off 27 balls before carrying England closer to their total.
There was a slightly nervy ending, as England, needing just one run off nine balls, lost Livingstone and Carse in two balls before Adil Rashid got them over the line.
Data Debrief: Livingstone hits landmark
England have taken it to the final T20I thanks to Livingstone's heroics, with the series all to play for at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Livingstone's 87 is the highest score for England in a successful chase when batting four or lower, and he did so on his fifth T20I appearance for England.
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