LONDON, CMC – Neither Shai Hope nor Kemar Roach saw action on the opening day of the English County Championship. The West Indies stars were forced to watch as their respective sides turned in strong batting performances.
Hope, who joined Yorkshire for their first three matches, was not required as the hosts gathered 285 for three against Leicestershire at Leeds in Division Two, with rookie opener Finlay Bean hitting 118 and England batsman Dawid Malan finishing unbeaten on 91.
Bean, a 20-year-old right-hander in only his fourth first-class appearance, struck 19 fours in a breezy 149-ball maiden first-class hundred, putting on 69 for the second wicket with James Wharton (24) 165 for the third wicket with Malan, who has faced 127 balls and counted 13 fours.
Hope, fresh from captaining the West Indies on the one-day tour of South Africa, is down to bat next.
At Old Trafford in Manchester, Roach was also not required to bat as visitors Surrey rattled up an impressive 340 for seven after being sent in by hosts Lancashire in the Division One contest.
The innings stuttered on 77 for four at one stage before Cameron Steel (86 not out), England’s Ben Foakes (76), and Jamie Smith (54) all struck half-centuries to lead the revival.
The 34-year-old Roach is with Surrey for a third straight season after helping them to win the title last season by taking 25 wickets in seven matches.
Hope, meanwhile, is in his first stint for Yorkshire and will have fond memories of Headingley, where he became the first batsman to score a hundred in both innings of a first-class game, in the second Test of West Indies tour of England six years ago.
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