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Barbados wicketkeeper-batsman Jamal Smith has labeled out-of-favour West Indies batsman Shai Hope as ‘technically flawed,’  and insisting he was never convinced by the player’s Test cricket batting strength, despite heroics in England.

The 27-year-old was recently dropped from the West Indies squad for the tour of New Zealand, after a nightmare run of form had seen the player averaging 19.48 since December 2017 and just 14.45 since February 2019.

 On the England tour, the scene of his triumph three years ago, Hope averaged below 18 in a 2-1 defeat against England.  Overall, his Test cricket average has slipped to around 26.27.

“He never suggested to me, even with the games where he scored those two wonderful 100s, as far as the red ball is concerned that he is a force to be reckoned with,” the former Combined Campuses and College’s player turned analyst told the Mason and Guest radio program.

Read more at SportsMax

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In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

Hmmmmm interesting comments from Bajan!!

Just like every where you have the Trump's and the Biden's

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

He is very well within his right to express his opinion....I disagree.... it's not technical but mental....

where these people come from? if anything hope is a test batsman but as usual management messes up these guys.

In reply to Onionman0

its mental. the jumping to pace bowling is clearly a mental thing

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.comyou could say that about every west indies batsmen and he is spot on hope does have some technical issue

In reply to Slipfeelerdon't see why barbadians are very fair in their assessment of their players while some others aren't

In reply to velo

BAJANS?......FAIR? Anderson cummins was supposedly the world's greatest fast bowler and the giant coral polypite boycott a historic test match and you saying bajans fair?

In reply to Jumpstart

unfortunately, I think it's both. Every player has weaknesses. A good player identifies his weaknesses and make adjustments for them while working hard to improve. I also think he is a 3 in ODI but in test he is a five or 6. I bet you if they put him at 6 he averages close to 50.

In reply to Jumpstart i don't think nobody has ever said cummins was the greatest bowler

In reply to methodic

that is very true. good analysis

I have mentioned it before, Hope is not a good player of the swinging ball, that's why he has good numbers in white ball cricket and poor numbers in red ball cricket. I do not know why the coaches and Selectors cannot figure that out. An analysis of his dismissals will show that he usually gets out caught behind or bowled down between bat and pad.

In reply to Slipfeeler

You should spend 15 minutes at a club, regional or international game in Barbados, you will hear the fans comments on players.
I commented numerous times on this board about Rohan, and the world knew of Hooper, Samuel think he is more love in Barbados, than any other cricketing country.
Not only is the Prince knows he is love in Bim, he has a home there.

What? No posts about “who the hell is Jamal Smith and what was his batting average?”

Shocking.

Slippy come een!

In reply to imusic
Three cricket analysts out of bim, all played or is still playing cricket with and against these guys, Pedro, Jamal and a Trini, they all have commented on the flaws of players, in real time.
BTW, they all have a high level of Coaching certificates.
These guys have been talking of Shai's bat coming from the slips area, and not being straight.

In reply to Jumpstart

its mental. the jumping to pace bowling is clearly a mental thing

As you said...He is unsure whether to leave or play shot in test...... whereas in ODI ,his mind is clear ...how to deal with short ball....

bet you if they put him at 6 he averages close to 50.

Subject to correction,Hope started his career at no.5......subsequently promoted to 4 and then 3.... His average at no.5 was not 50.....

In reply to Onionman0

cant blame him either. no batsman.....not even viv could say they were naturally mentally capable of facing a ball delivered at 85 to 95 mph that could end your life in an instant.

In reply to imusic

skippa looka that was the first thing jump in my head when I see this headline. Who is Jamal Smith?
and more pertinently how come when he was scoring runs nuhbody din saying these things

In reply to defeyeant

In reply to Jumpstart

If ever Hope makes a comeback then only it will be apparent....what adjustment he makes....mental or technical... Most of his recent dismissals ... caught behind playing loose shot...same batter playing 85-90 km bowlers in ODI and averages above 40...India Rohit Sharma to certain extent resembles Hope...white ball masterclass but in test cricket failing time and again....

In reply to Onionman0

Hope is a much different person now than when he started. I remember him opening in his early days at test. Batting at 6 against an older ball will give him at least one less thing to think about.

There is a very good chance that Hope will be in the mix for a while, he is a decent wicketkeeper IMO just as good as Dowrich, so if Dowrich was ever unavailable Hope could step in and then he could be battling at a more comfortable position for him where he will rarely have to face the new ball.

In reply to dayne
The thing that struck me about Hope's Centuries, was how well he got forward to both Anderson and Broad. Sometime after that he reverted to playing from the crease. Chase too, seems to have developed this habit. I distinctly remember Gavaskar commenting that Chase was picking the line and length earlier than other WI batsmen.
I still think a good batting coach could help these guys.

In reply to dayne

Hope is too talented to be ever out of the mix. But the jumping to pacers is presenting a major problem. When he scored those runs vs England., obviously NZ took notice and the studied him which is why he could not make a note in the nz series that winter.

In reply to Jumpstart

There were a few cricketers in the past who were stylish and supposedly talented that never delivered the goods Recent ones were Devon Smith. Stanley Hinds, Farouk Bacchus, Everton Mattis. Hopefully Hope does not join that club.

In reply to dayne

Stanley Hinds? The spinner from SVG? Or did you mean to say Weasel....errrmm..I mean...Wavell Hinds?

Don’t know a Stanley Hinds, but Stuart Williams would fall into that category.

And the poster child of course......Carl Hooper

In reply to Priapus

Actually I meant Ryan Hinds, at one time described by Des Haynes to have the best batting technique in the Caribbean, however after 15 Tests had an average of 21.

Faoud Bacchus?

After his first 14 ODI matches, Brian Lara had a ODI batting average of 21. He went on to pretty much double that average by the end of his career

In reply to imusic

Agreed... even Sachin Tendulkar took 76 ODI to score his first century...and don't forget Steve Waugh....how a young player is handled by team management and selectors.....does matter....

Hope is a good batsman, if anything he's technically better than many others who are in the team.

His returns have been poor in tests, and he's been rightfully dropped, but he should use this time and improve his game.

I wonder how approachable Brian Lara is to these youngsters, but given he spends so much time in Barbados, it might make sense for hope to seek his help over the next few months.

In reply to brians_da_best

Unfortunately, sound technically in batting does not put runs on the scoreboard, batting involves more than just technicality but psychological approach in batting is also very important. Maybe Hope is jumping from real pace bowlers because he might not be psychologically confident in his own batting despite his sound batting technique. Not only Hope but there are other WI batsmen who might need some psychological support and motivation to improve their focus and concentration, especially at the start of their innings or approaching their 50 or century markers.

In reply to Jumpstart

I'm guessing Viv confessed this? Viv still on your mind eh. How dare that poster put his name in the same sentence as Lara on that other thread eh.

In reply to Slipfeeler

Most of the recent WI batmen do not play enough F/C cricket before they go on the International stage, Hope will be served well if he could play a season in the English county league.

In reply to dayne

Well if the first class season is ten matches long , how do you expect a player to be prepared after that? The FC season is way too short. And ten matches of medium to poor quality

In reply to jacksparrow

And how did management mess up Hope?

In reply to Slipfeeler

It would also help if we prepared better pitches.

Hope needs to read up on the great batsmen to see how they coped. Remember that article about Lara visualizing what he had to do in the fourth innings of the match against Australia at Kensington? Remember the article about George Headley touring Australia and being all at sea against leg spin initially but then he taught himself how to do it and made a huge century in the next test? Its there if you look for it. Others have been through the struggle before you. Hope seems to have the basic elements of talent and so it is now a question of how hungry he is to be among the best. if you don't have the hunger of a Headley, Viv or Lara or Chanderpaul, you are just not going to make it in the very competitive world of international test cricket. it doesn't come to you. on a platter no matter how good you think and others think you may be. You have to be willing to work hard day in day out to get it. Same as in any other profession or vocation. Those who are willing to remain focused and put in the extra work rise to the top.

In reply to dayne

Agreed, an English County outing season would do well to advance his confidence and psychological approach to his batting. Our batsmen have limited international opportunities playing with word class players which might be affecting their batting, especially when dealing with opening pacers who are capable of swinging the balls both ways. However, I might be wrong but didn’t Braithwaite play an English county cricket season?

In reply to VoopsandOut

Hope jumping at fast bowling wasn't a problem before but for whatever reason he has become a problem now. Just needs to get with a coach and work out the chink in his armour. Technically he is one of the better prepared but this lack of ability to play the short ball is not only his problem but a team problem. Only JH seems prepared to attack the short ball. Playing the short ball is like a fast bowler wanting to bowl fast and faster. You have to want to attack a fast bowler and let him know you will everytime he drops short. He should go work with Dwayne Smith as he is one of the recent few who understands playing short pitched bowling.

In reply to seaegg99

Only in the minds of West Indians!!

This Shai Hope is a cricket soap opera in the making.

Jamal Smith, an ordinary cricketer with great coaching credentials and a color commentator/cricket analyst says Hope is technically flawed.

Sir Everton Weekes, a legend, an alltime great batsman, coach/color commentator/cricket analyst said just before he passed, Shai Hope is class...he just needs to make runs in Tests.

The icon, the legend the greatest cricketer Sir Gary Sobers says he has a lot of time for Shai Hope.

Sir Clive Lloyd has hailed Shai Hope from very early as a great one in the making.