After being widely condemned for their lame capitulation at Edgbaston in the first Test, suggesting a once-dominant 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.WOW! From ‘worst team in cricket history’….to comeback legends. Congrats West Indies – you proved EVERYONE wrong ?? #ENGvWI pic.twitter.com/izBQtltoo7
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) August 29, 2017
Huge moment in contemporary West Indies cricket. The stunning arrival of the very impressive Shai Hope. Now to do it more frequently — Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) August 29, 2017"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."
This was not just any win, though. It was the Windies' first in a Test in England for 17 years.West Indies have won a Test match in England for the first time since 17 June 2000, 6282 days ago #EngvWI #Cricket
— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) August 29, 2017
West Indies' win was their 4th in 20 years away from home against top-8 ranked opposition. (Overall in those games: P88 W4 D17 L67) — Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) August 29, 2017"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 told the BBC. Hope, whose average of 18 over his previous 11 Tests had never reflected his potential, said he trusted the win would be a stepping stone towards a brighter future for the team.
Hope, 23, was named man-of-the-match after his unbeaten match-winning 118 followed a maiden Test ton of 147 in the first innings as West Indies levelled the series at 1-1. Along with fellow Bajan Kraigg Brathwaite's fine batting - he added 95 to his first-innings century - and the evident reawakened spirit in the team, this was an emphatic answer to Windies greats like paceman Curtly Ambrose who had called their Edgbaston performance "pathetic".Two famous Test wins at Headingly.Sri Lanka 2014, West Indies 2017. Went in as underdogs & conquered,Test cricket is the best #SriLanka #LKA
— Daniel Alexander (@daniel86cricket) August 29, 2017
So was @root66 right to declare? Game lost. But what a day of Test cricket. #bbccricket pic.twitter.com/tL6iv0P716— Test Match Special (@bbctms) August 29, 2017"After the kicking we got at 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 told Sky Sports. "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 he just looked in total control."Joe Root was right to declare on a 5 th day pitch over 320 needed. Windies were excellent, England didn't bowl well as a team ?#crowdhappy
— Darren Gough (@DGoughie) August 29, 2017
Spare a thought for Joe Root. His declaration kept the match alive. He made the right decision. West Indies surprised everyone — Sambit Bal (@sambitbal) August 29, 2017England 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. "If we're being honest we weren't good enough first up with the bat and we need to make sure we learn those lessons at Lord's."