Shai Hope has joined Yorkshire for a three-match stint as their overseas player for the start of the English County Championship. He has been picked in the starting XI for the opening fixture against Leicestershire at Headingley.
Yorkshire managing director Darren Gough hailed the signing of the West Indies One-day International captain after the club made the announcement on Wednesday.
“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 hundred in the same first-class match while playing for West Indies against hosts England. Hope scored of 147 and 118 not out, and West Indies pulled off a remarkable victory.
“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 hundred at Headingley before for the West Indies.”