It takes Hope for the West Indies to beat England
Shai Hope rose to the occasion with a second century in a matter of days which underpinned a monumental victory for the West Indies after they chased down 322 against England in the second Test.
The 23-year-old batsman became the first person at Headingley to record centuries in both innings of a firstclass match.
More importantly, his 118 not out in trying circumstances ushered the tourists to a series-levelling five-wicket triumph.
Hope came to the crease at 53-2 but belied his tender years and relative inexperience in only his 12th Test to put on a match-altering 144-run partnership with Kraigg Brathwaite, a stand that ultimately helped to secure the Windies’ first victory on these shores since June 2000.
Brathwaite fell five runs short of pipping his partner to become the first person to record twin centuries at this ground. But Hope was able to see the Windies home with the new ball taken under gloomy skies and floodlights in a nerve-jangling finish, with all four results possible heading into the final session.
It is quite the turnaround from the Windies following an innings-and-209-run trouncing at Edgbaston – a defeat that left many former players bemoaning the current set-up – but they have silenced their critics in the most emphatic fashion, having bossed the majority of this Test.
England, to their credit, fought back from a 169-run first-innings deficit and captain Joe Root sportingly declared their second innings on Monday evening to leave their opponents the prospect of going for the fourth-highest run chase in their history when they resumed on five without loss.
All English eyes, meanwhile, were on James Anderson, who needed only three more wickets to become only the sixth bowler to reach 500 in Tests, but he ended the day wicketless.
It was opening bowling partner Stuart Broad who was the more threatening under leaden skies, with his morning duel with Brathwaite.
Broad dismissed Kieran Powell for 23. Hope’s brother, Kyle, was run out for nought. Roston Chase scored 23 and Jermaine Blackwood 41.
Fittingly, it was Hope who made the winning runs, clipping Chris Woakes off his hip for a couple to start their celebrations as they sealed victory with 4.4 overs left.