Hope springs eternal as West Indies deliver shock win
Young American gives Federer a fright
Shai Hope has became a symbol of belief in the future of West Indies cricket after his landmark twin tons steered his side to an astonishing fivewicket win over England yesterday.
Hope was amazed to hear he had become the first man to score a ton in both innings of any match in 118 years of first-class cricket at the Leeds ground.
After being widely condemned for their lame capitulation at Edgbaston in the first test, suggesting a oncedominant team had hit rock bottom, this unlikely comeback was a stirring response.
“Really? Thanks for the news,” Hope said after being told he had become the first to score a century in both innings of a Headingley game.
“Someone had to do it, so I just put my hand up and did it for the team,” he said. “I’m just pleased to get the win.” World No 3 Roger Federer survived a first round scare from Frances Tiafoe as the Swiss ground out a 4-6 6-2 6-1 1-6 6-4 victory over the American teenager before a raucous crowd at the US Open yesterday.
Federer looked more relieved than overjoyed when Tiafoe’s forehand found the net on match point to keep his hopes of a 20th grand slam title alive.
The 19-year-old Tiafoe broke Federer in the first game of the match and bellowed out a loud “Come on!” when his forehand winner found the line to capture the opening set.
Federer, who has won this year’s Australian Open and Wimbledon since taking a six-month break last year, soon found his groove once he broke Tiafoe to take a 3-1 lead in the second set and reeled off nine of the next 10 games.
However, his poor form returned in a 23-minute fourth set when his serve and the accuracy of his trusty one-handed backhand completely deserted him.
This was not just any win, though. It was the Windies’ first in a test in England for 17 years.
“We’re test cricketers for a reason. We have the fight, belief and players to do it. I hope people back home will be happy,” Hope said.
He trusted the win would be a stepping stone towards a brighter future for the team. The 23-year-old was named man of the match after his unbeaten match-winning 118 followed a maiden test ton of 147 in the first innings as the West Indies levelled the series at 1-1.
Along with fellow Barbadian Kraigg Brathwaite’s fine batting — he added 95 to his first-innings century — and the reawakened spirit in the team, this was an emphatic answer to Windies greats such as paceman Curtly Ambrose, who had called their Edgbaston performance “pathetic”.
“After the kicking we got at
Despite coming away with the win, the shaky performance raises questions about the health of the 36-year-old Swiss, who sat out the Cincinnati Masters earlier this month with back pain.
“It was a good one. I think we both enjoyed ourselves out here. I’m very happy with the match. It was exciting and it’s kind of why I came to New York, to go through these emotions,” Federer said.
“I had a bit of a slow start but Frances also felt good. I was maybe a bit worried about my back issue but was eventually able to let go. In the fifth, it’s a coin toss and it went my way.”
Meanwhile, Federer’s arch-rival, world No 1 Rafael Nadal defeated Dusan Lajovic to ease into the second round, setting the Spaniard on a collision course for a long overdue Flushing Meadows showdown with Federer. Nadal overcame a slow start to win 7-6 (8-6) 6-2 6-2 yesterday.
If all goes to form, Nadal and Federer would meet to decide a place in the final. Federer, a five-times US Open winner and Nadal, twice champion, have clashed 37 times over the years but never have they stood across the net on Flushing Meadows’ hardcourts. BASEBALL CRICKET Edgbaston, to get the boys back up and looking forward and then to achieve what they’ve done in the last five days was huge. I’m very proud of them,” West Indies coach Stuart Law said.
“It’s put a lot of doubters out there to bed. It takes a lot of character to come out after the beating we got.”
Of Hope’s display, which was studded with steel as well as elegance, he added: “I’m really proud of him. He’s been going through a form dip but, hopefully, the pretty 20s are gone and the pretty 120s are here to stay.
“It’s just a matter of belief. When he came out [yesterday], he just looked in total control.”
England captain Joe Root, who bemoaned a day of dropped catches, described Hope’s knock as “exceptional . . . It’s credit to them for the way they came back after last week,” he said.