Happy with Hope

Barbados head coach Emmerson Trotman has hailed the form of West Indies top-order batsman, Shai Hope, but said he was not surprised the right-hander had bounced back strongly, following his axing for the Test tour of New Zealand earlier this month.

The 27-year-old Hope has been in excellent form during the Barbados Cricket Association’s Legends Cup, stroking two hundreds in the tournament which is in preparation for next February’s Regional Super50 in Antigua.

“I am happy but not surprised. Shai is a very good player. The best batsman in the Caribbean,” Trotman told Barbados TODAY on Tuesday.

“He controls his innings and he plays well. He leads from the front. I’m quite happy with his form. He’s very focused.

“He always wants to do well and I’m looking forward to big things from him. I am not sure if it is a lack of form. You go through a bit of a period with some mistakes which might not be anything to do with form.”

He continued: “But he is in pretty good nick at the moment. He is happy and I am quite happy as well to see he has bounced back so easily. He controls himself well, he controls the innings very well. I am not surprised he gets hundreds.”

Hope has been one of the world’s leading One-Day International batsmen in recent years, boasting an average of 52 from 78 matches. Last year alone, he averaged 61 from 28 matches and scored four of his nine hundreds.

In contrast, however, he has struggled in the longest format, averaging a paltry 18 in eight Tests over the last two years.

While Hope has been one of the standout performers, he has been joined by the likes of 26-year-old right-hander Jonathan Drakes who smashed a rapid hundred last week.

And Trotman said the former West Indies Under-19 player, along with batsman Zachary McCaskie, were players with much potential.

“I am very pleased with Jonathan. He works hard, he trains hard and he has been knocking on the door for the last few seasons,” Trotman pointed out.

“This is the season for him to really show his maturity and he played a very good inning last week. He showed signs of maturity and he is hungry for success, so I’m not surprised he performs like that.

“I’ve seen guys like Zack McCaskie, a good batsman, and [Akeem] Jordan, a very good fast bowler. Those are two players you have to keep your eyes on. I am expecting good things from them.”

Trotman also gave the Legends Cup a thumbs up, contending it had promoted strong competition among players.

Three teams – the Sir Garfield Sobers XI, the Sir Wes Hall XI and the Sir Charles Griffith XI – have played several matches against each other in recent weeks.

“The concept is good. It puts the activeness into the competition and the guys were very keen. The concept fits into the plan we already have and it has proven its point,” he explained.

“The Legends Cup has been very successful. The good thing about that is that it has been very competitive. The guys have been looking to do their best. A lot of guys are hoping to make the side and are trying to make the side.

“They have committed themselves nicely and they are playing good cricket. There have been consistently good scores. It’s been good and I am quite happy.”

Barbados will be hoping to compensate for their disappointment in the Regional Super50 Cup last year when they faltered at the semi-final stage.

And Trotman said once the side was selected, intense match preparations would follow, as Barbados looked to secure the trophy.

“We have some good match simulations after the team is selected. We had a pretty useful year last year,” he said.

“We were winning games back to back until we got to Trinidad. So, we just have to make sure that we continue that momentum that we had last year, then make sure that we don’t make the same error that we made the last two games.

“We are looking forward to going a step further. The boys are very aware of their positions last year and they have worked hard and have been planning well. They are looking to put their best foot forward and be quite successful.

“They want to be champions and they’ve got the ability to be champions. They are quite skillful and I am expecting very good results from them.”